Clean up on aisle 6! Assured Guaranty (AGO) lost $3 to $15.82 and implied volatility in the options on the stock is up sharply after Moody’s put the bond insurance company’s credit rating up for review for possible downgrade. (register to read more …) [...]

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Radian (RDN) loses 19 cents to $2.69 and a 1250-lot of Jan 2 puts traded on the stock for 75 cents when the market was 65 to 75 cents. 1765 traded and today’s flow probably adds to positions from yesterday, (register to read more …) [...]

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Hartford (HIG) adds 40 cents to $18.51 and trading in the options on the insurance company is active today, with 15,000 calls and 2,600 puts traded in the name so far. The flow includes a multi-exchange sweep of 1,039 Feb (register to read more …) [...]

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MBIA (MBI) sees a midday spike on high volume, is now up $1 to $9.17, and moving to session highs. Recent options trades on the mortgage insurance company include a 15000-contract block of Jan $11 calls bought for 75 cents (register to read more …) [...]

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ING is under pressure and implied volatility in the options on the Amsterdam-based bank is moving higher Wednesday. Shares are down $1.11 to $7.50 and the top options trade is a 351-lot of Nov 9 calls on the five-cent bid, (register to read more …) [...]

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AIG loses 21 cents to $23.70 and a December 24 straddle is sold on the stock today at $3.44, 5000X. The position looks opening and possibly a bet that shares will hold around $24 (~1.3%) through the Dec expiration (39 (register to read more …) [...]

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Reinsurance company XL Capital (XL) is trading up 18 cents to $21.11 and options order flow on the stock is bullish today, even after the company reported earnings that fell short of Street estimates. Fro the quarter, the company said (register to read more …) [...]

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MBIA sees a spike in heavy volume and options action is heating up as well. Shares jumped 10 – 15 minutes ago and, after hitting a high of $9.19, are now up 17 cents to $8.81. Upside call buyers are (register to read more …) [...]

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MBIA shares have added 37 cents to $8.25 and overall options volume is running 3.5X the daily average for the mortgage insurance company, with about 15,000 calls and 2,400 puts traded in MBI so far. October 9 calls, which are (register to read more …) [...]

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Allstate (ALL) loses 64 cents to $24.30 and a Jan 30 – 32 call spread is sold on the insurance company at 23 cents, 7900X and a Jan 31 – 32 call spread at 12 cents, 8200X. Looks like both (register to read more …) [...]

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