Despite the very quiet final week of the year, 2011 will be another record-setter for the options industry, with approx 4.4billion contracts trading in the form of 220million individual trades, a volume increase of about 10% vs 2010. SPY options (register to read more …) [...]

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SPDR 500 Trust (SPY) adds $1.73 to $125.68 and a Dec [QTRLY] Dec 90 103 115 put fly trades on the ETF at 50 cents, 41500X. The spread has traded more than once and volume in the 103 strike is (register to read more …) [...]

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Options volume in the SPDR Financials (XLF) is now 1.42 million contracts, with put options accounting for 1.32 million, or 93 percent, of the overall flow. In addition to the impressive Dec $11 – 13 spreads highlighted at 14:07, recent (register to read more …) [...]

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SPDR Retail Trust (XRT) adds 59 cents to $52.52 and a Nov 43 – 47 – 51 put fly is bought on the ETF for 51 cents, 10000X. It possibly adds to positions opened yesterday, when the same spread traded (register to read more …) [...]

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Market Vectors Mining ETF (GDX) gains $2.13 to $58.16 on a good day for the miners after the yellow metal surged $55 to $1707 an ounce. Gold is shining and an noteworthy trade in GDX is a Dec 57 – (register to read more …) [...]

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iShares Small Cap Fund (IWM) loses $1.50 to $67.93 and the Weekly [10/28] 63 – 65 – 67 put fly trades at 22 cents, 10000X, and 23 cents, 10000X. Volume in the 65 puts is more than 81K and the (register to read more …) [...]

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iShares Germany Fund (EWG) is up 52 cents to $18.27 and a 4,400-contract block of Oct 21 calls on the ETF at 35 cents per contract is an opening buyer, according to ISEE data. 9,090 traded against 1,682 in open (register to read more …) [...]

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Volume and implied vols are higher in iShares Silver Fund (SLV), as the metals continue to suffer heavy losses Friday. Gold is down $84.9 to $1,654.5 an ounce and copper lost 20 cents to $3.28. Silver is down $5.78 to (register to read more …) [...]

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Trading is very heavy in the ETF market as the options expiration, ex-div trading and morning put selling have conspired to drive volume higher. 9.2 million calls and 4.2 million puts traded across all products today. SPY calls with strike (register to read more …) [...]

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The options markets are on track for a meagre 14.3million contracts today (try symbol @all in Flow Monitor), a far cry from the peaks seen in August when adv was above 25Million contracts and OCC reported three daily volume records (register to read more …) [...]

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