Stock options are not like shares of a company. Each option represents the right to buy or sell a certain number of shares at a specified price. Stock options are contracts that are traded. The number of underlying assets represented by one option contract is different for different types of underlying assets around the world.

For example, a US stock option represents the rights to 100 shares while a UK option represents the rights to 1000 shares. One S&P futures option contract is worth $250, One gold future is worth $100, and so on.

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