Final answer:
Yes, an arbitrage opportunity exists based on the pricing disparity between the February and April call options with the same exercise price. A trader can execute a riskless arbitrage strategy by simultaneously buying the cheaper April call option and selling the more expensive February call option, creating a risk-free profit.
Step-by-step explanation:
The arbitrage strategy involves taking advantage of the mispricing in the options market. By buying the April call option priced at $6 and selling the February call option priced at $6.375, the trader incurs a cost of $6 and receives $6.375, resulting in an immediate risk-free profit of $0.375 per share. The trader can repeat this strategy for multiple shares to magnify the profit.
The mispricing might be attributed to factors such as differences in time to expiration, implied volatility, or market sentiment between the two options. The trader exploits this discrepancy by establishing a position that capitalizes on the temporary pricing anomaly, aligning with the principle of riskless arbitrage.
In efficient markets, such opportunities are short-lived as arbitrageurs quickly exploit them, leading to price adjustments. Traders need to act swiftly to capitalize on the pricing discrepancy before the market corrects itself.