S&P 500 Index Options - SPX

		SPX
		SPX 1085.20 4.91 XSP 108.52 0.49 BXM 754.09 1.64 PUT 980.22 2.70 VIX 23.40 -0.49

CBOE - S&P 500® (SPX^TM) Index Options (Sept. 2009) - 2-page PDF

Standard & Poor's - "Capturing the Index Effect via Options."(June 2008)

Callan Associates - "An Historical Evaluation of the CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index Strategy."

Ibbotson Associates - "Highlights from Case Study on BXM Buy-Write Options Strategy."

Investors have used options on the S&P 500 (SPX) index for a variety of purposes over the past two decades, including investing, hedging, asset allocation, and the management of risk.

Investors appreciate many features of the SPX options, including:

• the fact that the options are tied to the world's leading benchmark for institutional investors;
• SPX options are powerful, flexible tools that allow investors to synthetically adjust their positions to a 500-stock portfolio;
• these listed options minimize counterparty risk - they are guaranteed by The Options Clearing Corporation, a triple-A rated clearinghouse.
• there is price discovery in competitive, SEC-regulated auction markets.

Spreadsheets with Historical Price Data

Historical Daily Prices - Spreadsheet with Closing Prices for Several Indexes
Historical Month-end Prices - Spreadsheet with Closing Prices for Several Indexes
In addition, Market Data Express gives users access to more than 16 years of historical options data

Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Prior to buying or selling options, a person must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options(ODD). Copies of the ODD are available from your broker, by calling 1-888-OPTIONS, or from The Options Clearing Corporation, One North Wacker Drive, Suite 500, Chicago, Illinois 60606. The information in these materials is provided solely for general education and information purposes and therefore should not be considered complete, precise, or current. Many of the matters discussed are subject to detailed rules, regulations, and statutory provisions which should be referred to for additional detail and are subject to changes that may not be reflected in these materials. No statement within these materials should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell a security or to provide investment advice. Any strategies discussed, including examples, do not include commissions, dividends, margin, taxes, and other transaction costs. However, these costs will affect the outcome of transactions and should be considered. S&P 100 and S&P 500 are registered trademarks of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and are licensed for use by the Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc. (CBOE). The "Russell 2000 Index is a registered trademark of Frank Russell Company. The Nasdaq 100 is a registered mark of The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. "Dow Jones SM", Dow Jones Industrial AverageSM", "Dow Jones Transportation AverageSM," and "Dow Jones Utility AverageSM" are service marks of Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and have been licensed for certain purposes by the CBOE. LEAPS, FLEX, FLexible EXchange, CBOE, Chicago Board Options Exchange and OEX are registered trademarks of CBOE, and Long-term Equity AnticiPation Securities^TM and SPX^TM are trademarks of the CBOE.