Large Cap Stocks
Chesapeake Energy Corp (CHK) $18.99 +2.82%
Chesepeake (CHK) adds 54 cents to $19.01 and an investor sells 8,000 May 19 puts on the natural gas producer at $1.03 to buy 12,000 May 18 puts for 60 cents. The May 18s look opening and the 19s might cover some of the positions opened on 4/2 when 11,500 were bought for 78 cents [...]
Vodafone Group (VOD) $29.39 +2.10%
Vodafone (VOD) adds 59 cents to $29.38 and a Jul 28 – 30 call spread is sold on the stock at 97 cents, 20000X. Open interest is sufficient to cover. So, the activity is possibly closing or, more likely, a roll up in strikes after the two-month 19 percent rally in the underlying. The stock [...]
Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (MPEL) $22.01 -0.59%
Melco Crown Entertainment (MPEL) adds 2 cents to $22.16 and an early print on the casino-operator is a 7000-lot of May 24 calls for 45 cents per contract. The market was 45 to 55 cents, but hearing it was a customer buyer on PHLX. It might cover some of the positions opened yesterday when 13,300 [...]
Apple Inc (AAPL) $401.20 -5.87%
Option markets are on track to trade 24.2million contracts today, a 2013 record and the best volume day in nearly 6 months as broad averages give back most of yesterday’s bounce. Implied vols are broadly higher with CBOE VIX up more than 2pts to 16.5 after touching a brief high near 18 at 11am. Among [...]
BHP Billiton Ltd (BHP) $63.98 -3.98%
BHP Billiton (BHP) is down $2.55 to $64.08 and a block of 25000 Aug 50 puts trades on the stock for 70 cents per contract. it’s tied to 250K shares and appears to be volatility buying in the options on the Australian metals and minerals company. Similarly, a block of 6300 May 60 puts looks [...]
Microsoft Corp (MSFT) $28.83 -0.50%
Microsoft (MSFT) is now down 14 cents to $28.83 and a sweep of 6,186 Jun 28 puts trades on the stock for 74 cents per contract, followed by 18,870 contracts for 77 cents. A customer is buying, to open, according to ISEE data (the bulk traded on ISE). The activity might replace the 55000-lot of [...]
Microsoft (MSFT) Bear Wins with Big Put Position
Microsoft (MSFT) is off a nickel to $28.92 and 55000 Apr 29 puts are sold on the software-maker at 59 cents per contract. It probably covers a position opened Thursday, which was opened for 65 cents per contract and rolling out of a winning position in April 30 puts (see 4/11 color). Now, it appears [...]
SLM Corporation (SLM) $20.52 -1.44%
SLM drops 28 cents to $20.55 and one investor initiates a four-way trade on the stock, buying 7700 Apr 17 calls on SLM for $3.48 and 7,200 Apr 16 calls for $4.48, to sell the Jul 18 – 20 bearish risk-reversal at 81 cents, 14800X. The activity probably rolls Apr 15 – 17 bearish combos [...]
Eli Lilly and Co (LLY) $57.10 -0.14%
Eli Lilly (LLY) is 13 cents to $57.05 and one investor bought 9000 Apr 52.5 calls on the pharmaceutical maker for $4.33 and sold the Jul 47 – 55 bearish risk-reversal at $2.53, 9000X. The activity probably rolls a position in an April 44 – 52.5 and April 49 – 52.5 bearish risk-reversals opened on [...]
Sprint Nextel Corporation (S) $7.29 +1.25%
Hefty spread in Sprint (S), as shares add another 9 cents to $7.29, new 52-week highs. The stock has been moving higher this week after Dish Networks made an unsolicited bid for sprint and one investor seems to be looking for a move towards $8, as an Aug 7 – 8 (1×2) call ratio spread [...]
