*Scanning all single-stocks subject to 2500 contracts minimum call or put volume

Mittal Steel (MT) gains 12 cents to $19.12 and a 11,000-contract block of Dec 21 calls trades on the steelmaker for 36 cents when the market was 33 to 36 cents. Several sweeps of Dec 21 calls also traded on the stock across multiple exchange today. Data is hinting at an opening buyer. 23,200 now traded at a VWAP of 33.2 cents against 1,564 in open interest. The market is now 38 to 40 cents and implied vols in options on MT are up 4.5 percent to 64.5. Bullish trading comes as the stock tries to recover some of this year’s losses. MT is down almost 50 percent year-to-date, but up more than 25 percent since last-Wednesday.

*Scanning all single-stocks subject to 2500 contracts minimum call or put volume

H&R Block (HRB) opened at $15.48 and hit a high of $15.79 this morning after earnings were reported yesterday afternoon, but the stock has since come under fire and is down $1.40 to $14.66. Early options order flow on the tax preparation company includes a multi-exchange sweep of 2,339 Dec 15 calls for 45 cents per contract when the market was 40 to 45 cents. Data indicate an opening buyer. 7,170 now traded against 1,004 in open interest. January 15 calls, which are also 2.3 percent out-of-the-money, have traded 1,000 contracts. Total options volume in HRB is 9,450 calls and 2,460 puts and implied volatility in the options on the stock is up 7 percent to 41.5. The volatility is possibly due to the fact that the company reported a wider-than-expected second quarter loss of 38 cents per share. Looking forward, H&R Block’s Investor Conference is scheduled for Dec 8.