and Options (F&O) Trading is a popular activity amongst taxpayers due to availability of multiple online trading platforms. The Income Tax provisions on F&O trading need to be analysed carefully. Meaning of F&O Trading F&O Trading comprises of trading in futures and options. They are classified under Derivatives. Derivatives are securities whose value is derived from the price of an underlying asset. Futures is a contract made on a trading exchange to buy or sell a security at a predetermined price on a predetermined date and specified time in future. Example: Investor who plans to invest in gold can either buy physical gold or can trade in derivative of gold i.e. enter into a futures contract to trade gold at a predetermined future rate. Options is a contract between buyer and seller which gives the buyer a right to buy or sell the security on a specific date at an agreed upon price. In Futures, the buyer does not have an option to cancel the contrac...