Baidu (BIDU) seems to have caused some confusion by deciding to release its earnings a month later than usual. Some sources had today as the earnings released date. Another source had Feb 6. Truth be told, the Internet giant will report two weeks after the Chinese New Year, or at some time in the second half of February. A date has not yet been determined. Trading in BIDU options is brisk today. Shares are down 33 cents to $131.03 and the Weekly 130 and 135 calls are the most actives. More than 10,000 traded in both and, with a lot of the flow (about 44 percent) trading on the bid, some short-term premium sellers might be active in the name since there is no earnings risk looming between now and the 2/3 expiration. Implied volatility in the options on the stock is down 7.5 percent to 50.

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

MGM loses 17 cents to $13.02 and options trades on the casino operator Monday morning include a Feb 13 – Mar 14 call spread, apparently sold at a penny, 12000X. Looks like Feb calls were sold at 47 cents to close positions opened earlier this month. For instance, on Jan 9, 4500 were bought for 21 cents each. Shares are up 14.4 percent since that time and, while the Feb 13s are at-the-money, a new bullish position is being opened in MGM’s out-of-the-money Mar 14 calls for 46 cents per contract. Earnings will come into play on Feb 22, outside of the Feb 18 expiration.

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

RenRen (RENN) jumps 73 cents to $5.98 on volume of 8.9 million shares, which is almost twice the daily average volume for the Chinese Internet company. RenRen is on a two-day 43.3 percent surge amid heavy trading in both the underlying and the options. 10,000 calls and 2,620 puts already traded on the stock today. Feb 6 calls, which are almost at-the-money with 18 days of life remaining, are the most actives. 5,060 traded. Feb 5 and Mar 6 calls are the next most actives and implied volatility is 25 percent and elevated at 126. The stock jumped Friday on the Facebook IPO headlines. Earnings expected around Feb 9.