How can call options and put options be used to reduce risk? State at least 2 conditions.

Call options and put options are financial derivatives that can be used to hedge risk in investment portfolios. Here's how:

1. Call Options for Reducing Risk: A call option gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset at a specified price within a certain period of time. Investors can use call options to hedge against potential losses in a stock. For example, if an investor owns a stock that they believe may decrease in value, they can purchase a call option for that stock. If the stock's price does indeed fall, the investor can exercise the call option to buy the stock at the lower price, thereby reducing their loss. The condition here is that the stock's price must fall below the strike price of the call option for the strategy to be effective.

2. Put Options for Reducing Risk: A put option gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to sell an asset at a specified price within a certain period of time. Investors can use put options to protect against potential losses in a stock. For example, if an investor owns a stock that they believe may decrease in value, they can purchase a put option for that stock. If the stock's price does indeed fall, the investor can exercise the put option to sell the stock at the higher strike price, thereby reducing their loss. The condition here is that the stock's price must fall below the strike price of the put option for the strategy to be effective.

In both cases, the investor is paying a premium for the option, which is the cost of reducing risk. The effectiveness of these strategies depends on the accuracy of the investor's predictions about future price movements.