Options Trading Tutorial

With Apple's current stock options right now, how can there be ask prices without any bids?

Morningstar has a nice new Options tab, and I've had fun looking at what prices Apple options have been going for. For a call that's going to expire in three weeks, some options writer wants 5 cents per share on Apple stock at a strike price of $230. But there's no bids put in, as far as I can tell. Does that mean this option writer has not been able to find a willing buyer? What does this mean when there's an ask price but no bids? Thanks for your help.

Public Comments

1. its designed by a software. its sold as is. 5 cents a share- you can buy it or not. thats what i think it is. theres no market makers for them. the seller of the option is the market maker.
2. The minimum price for options is $.05. So the offer is at the minimum price and it's impossible to bid below that. That's why there are no bids.