Synthetic Position
A combination of options and the underlying that reproduces the payoff of a different single instrument.
How it is identified
Synthetic Long = Long Call + Short Put at the same strike and expiry; Synthetic Short = Short Call + Long Put
Unit
qualitative
In depth
Synthetics follow directly from put-call parity: since the four instruments are linked by an arbitrage identity, any one of them can be built from the other three. Their practical uses are avoiding a market where liquidity is poor, taking a position that regulation or account permissions block directly, and exploiting a pricing gap between the synthetic and the real thing. The payoff is equivalent but the margin, the cash flows and the assignment risk are not, which is where the difference bites. A synthetic long has the same unlimited-loss profile as owning the underlying with leverage.
Worked example
Buy a 24,000 call at 300 and write a 24,000 put at 162: net debit 138, exactly the futures basis. The combined payoff matches a long futures position at 24,138, which is what put-call parity requires.
Illustrative figures, chosen so the arithmetic is easy to follow. Not a live price and not a valuation of any company.
Educational reference only
This entry explains what “Synthetic Position” means. It is not investment advice and not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Any numbers above are illustrative, not live prices, and nothing here predicts price direction or rates a stock. Consider your own circumstances and consult a SEBI-registered investment adviser before acting.