The Japanese Yen Spot Price Index (.XDN) is down 1.67 to 107.18 after the US Dollar rallied back above 93 on the Japanese currency. In the options market, XDN volume is at 22 times the average daily levels. March 105 (register to read more …)

Genentech volume continues strong at 4x adv with a 30,000 contract package trading on the CBOE in which a trader bought 10,000 Feb 90-95 call spreads for $1.20 against a sale of 7500 Feb 65 Puts for 67.5cents and 2500 (register to read more …)

Chesapeake (CHK, news, chart, volatility) is up 96 cents to $18.23 and 40,000 CHK calls have traded on the day, compared to 14,000 puts. Today’s action comes amid renewed takeover chatter, with Exxon (register to read more …)

Microsoft (MSFT, news, chart, volatility) call options are actively traded. 88,000 traded, compared to 23,000 puts. Jan 24 and April 21 calls are the most actives after a firm bought 4,370 Jan 22.5 (register to read more …)

State Street (STT, news, chart, volatility) shares are up $1.04 to $42.14, but directional sentiment in the options market seems bearish, amid increasing activity in January and February 40 puts. Recent trades include (register to read more …)

NVidia (NVDA, news, chart, volatility) calls are actively traded after the Apple Insider reported that a reliable third party claimed that Apple plans to luanch some NVDIA-based iMacs (register to read more …)

Updated with Video. The ProShares UltraShort Lehman Bond Fund (TBT), which moves (200%) the inverse the iShares Long Term Bond Fund (TLT), is acively traded. TLT is down after (register to read more …)

Looks like an investor is accumulating Cadence Design Systems (CDNS, news, chart, volatility) May 2.5 calls today. 10,000 have traded. The top trade is 6,000 at the offer for $1.60. The rest of (register to read more …)

Agrium (AGU, news, chart, volatility) is up $1.12 to $37.53. Fertilizer stocks are rallying ahead of an earnings report from Mosaic (MOS) due out today after the closing bell. 3,800 AGU Jan 40s (register to read more …)

Ross Stores (ROST, news, chart, volatility) puts are busy. More than 6,000 traded, compared to 264 calls. Most of the action is due to a three-way spread, where a player bought 2,000 Feb (register to read more …)