Kevin Davitt is Nasdaq’s head of index options content. In this role, he helps support the growth of Nasdaq 100® Index options (NDX/XND) by advocating for the informed use of equity derivatives. Since the late 90’s, Mr. Davitt has been actively involved in the options business — originally as a market maker for a handful of well-known trading firms. He has also worked for a Chicago based fund of funds and prior to joining Nasdaq, he spent years as a senior instructor at The Options Institute (Cboe). As Nasdaq’s representative on the Options Industry Council, Kevin helps to fuel the continued growth in listed equity and index options.
Options trading has evolved alongside the sophistication of today's investors. Given the broad exposure of the reference asset, index options are uniquely powerful and flexible tools. Understand how investors are using index options to potentially capitalize on today's market.
Not all options expire the same way. In today’s market, especially with the growth of short-dated and 0DTE products, the structural differences between American-style and European-style options matter more than ever. This session breaks down how exercise rights, settlement mechanics, and expiration timing can materially impact risk, assignment, and post-close exposure.
We’ll cover: The key structural differences between American-style and European-style options
How exercise and assignment risk manifests in equity and ETF options
Why expiration mechanics matter in short-duration trading environments
The role of settlement timing, after-hours price movement, and operational risk
Practical risk considerations for traders navigating weekly and 0DTE expirations