NBTY Inc (NTY, news, chart) options saw 62 times average trading volume. Normal trading volume is less than 500 contracts. On Thursday, however, a total of 22,000 puts and calls traded. Shares of the (register to read more …)

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The Select Sector Consumer Staples ETF (XLP) saw ten times normal trading volume Thursday, as one player placed a substantial bet that shares will see an uptick in volatility during (register to read more …)

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5 times normal volume in Latin American steel maker Gerdau (GGB, news, chart) today. Yesterday a customer sold 10000 March 20 straddles to open new positions, and today the premium selling continues, with a (register to read more …)

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Shares of General Motors (GM, news, chart) hit a low of $9.68 Thursday and its lowest levels since that pivotal trading day on July 15. GM is now down 30 cents to $9.68 and is (register to read more …)

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Microsoft Enlists Seinfeld for Ad War

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.VIX The CBOE Volatility Index (.VIX) is down 1.15 points and, with one hour left to trade, heading to session lows of 19.28. The market’s “fear gauge” is back to its lows of the week and levels last seen on (register to read more …)

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Lehman Brothers (LEH, news, chart) has battled back to positive territory following a midday upgrade from Ladenburg Thalmann’s Dick Bove, who said in a (register to read more …)

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The PowerShares DB Agriculture Fund (DBA) is seeing active trading, as shares move higher amid a rally in agricultural commodities Thursday. DBA is an exchange-traded fund based on the Deutsche Bank Liquid Commodity Index, which in turn consists of futures (register to read more …)

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US Mint Suspends Sales of Eagle Gold Coins

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The Select Sector Consumer Discretionary Fund (XLY) is seeing bearish trading. The fund is up 13 cents to $29.88 and 21,000 XLY puts have traded, compared to 1,433 calls. Most of the volume is in the September 29 puts, where (register to read more …)

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