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Gamma

The rate at which delta itself changes as the underlying moves.

Formula

\Gamma = \frac{\partial \Delta}{\partial S}

The second derivative of the premium with respect to price. Gamma is positive for bought options and negative for sold ones.

How to read the number

Gamma decides how often a hedge has to be rebuilt: the higher it is, the faster the position stops being neutral.

When the metric lies

It peaks at the strike just before expiry. There a small move flips the seller's position, and the loss grows faster than they can react to it.

Also known as: option gamma

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