1.   Margolies, for his part, has sold puts on PC makers, meaning he will profit if their stocks decline.

2.   On the other side of the equation, investors who sell puts have earned some fat profits.

3.   Selling puts raises the value of futures and options contracts, bringing up common stocks in tow.

4.   The risk for the person selling the put is that that he or she might have to buy high-priced shares in a falling market.