An order to buy and to sell options of the same class but with different strike prices and/or expiration dates in which the customer specifies a spread between the option sold and the option purchased. For example, an investor might enter a spread order to buy a March call and sell a September call, both on AOL Time Warner and with a strike price of $30, if a spread of $2 can be obtained. The order will be executed only if a floor broker can sell the September call for $2 more than the price at which the March call can be purchased.
