Annaly Mortgage put open interest increased by 35,000 this morning to a total of 249,150 contracts, a new multi-year high, with nearly half the positions struck out-of-them money and a concentration in the 14 and 15 strikes, currently 12% and (register to read more …) [...]

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iStar Financial (SFI) is down 80 cents to $6.20 and options volume is 2X the average daily, driven by premium selling in June and July call options. The top trade is 4500 Jun 7.5s on the 30 cent bid. 14K (register to read more …) [...]

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Annaly Mortgage (NLY) gapped down and is off 54 cents to $17.34 after the company announced an offering of convertible senior notes. Shares sank on the news and options volume is running 4X the average daily. 26K puts and 15K (register to read more …) [...]

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Avalon Bay shares are flat at $85.25 but left a small bearish spike off a 52-week high of $87.80 yesterday. Today option volume is 3x the daily average being driven by buying in the April $80 puts as a block (register to read more …) [...]

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American Capital Agency Corp. (AGNC) is up 30 cents to $23.08 and almost 4,900 puts traded, compared to 333 calls. Top trade is 1,500 Aug/Sep 25 put spread for 40 cents on PHLX, which looks like a roll of long (register to read more …) [...]

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CB Richard Ellis (CBG) shares are up $1.50 or $19% to $9.60 and options have traded 3X the daily average. The focus is on call buying in the June 10 (register to read more …) [...]

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Chimera Investment Corp (CIM), a New York-based REIT, edged down 2 pennies to $3.76 and options volume rose to 8X the typical levels Wednesday. Most of the new open interest (10.2K) is in December 5 calls after a player sold (register to read more …) [...]

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Chimera Investment shares near $3.48 and a block of 5000 Dec 5 calls were bought for 45cents by a GS cust to open a new position, possibly in consideration of upside for this REIT that touched a 52w low of (register to read more …) [...]

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Capital Source (CSE), a Chevy Chase, MD-based credit services company, is flat at $2.50 per share and 10K July 2.5 calls traded. Looks like sellers, possibly buy-writes, collecting 40 cents to open new positions.

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Duke Realty (DRE) shares rallied $1.62 to $8.24 and 2500 puts traded Thursday, which represents about 50X the typical volume. The top trade of the day: 1,912 April 7.5 puts for 30 cents when the bid-ask was 15 to 30 (register to read more …) [...]

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