Small Cap Stocks
UAL Corporation (UAUA) $10.16 -1.07%
Updated. UAL (UAUA, chart, volatility) February 10 calls are seeing active trading. Today’s volume of more than 15,100 includes 15,000 contracts sold for $1.85 against shares at $10.30. This buy-write, or “covered call”, is probably an new position as existing open interest in the Feb 10 calls is 1,372. If so, the strategist sold calls [...]
Ryland Group Inc (RYL) $16.70 +0.00%
Ryland (RYL, chart, volatility) Jan 15 and Feb 12.5 put open interest increased by more than 12,400 after large blocks of Jans traded on the bid for 20 cents and the Febs at the ask for 90 cents late Wednesday. Shares of the homebuilder closed down 63 cents to $16.70 and the action looks like [...]
Fairpoint Communications Inc (FRP) $2.86 +0.00%
Options volume in small cap Fairpoint Communications (FRP, chart, volatility) rose to 20 times the normal levels Wednesday after 6,700 March 5 and 6,700 June 2.5 puts traded. Today’s open interest data suggests some rolling down of puts from March to June. Shares closed down 9 cents to $2.86 Wednesday and it appears that the [...]
American Campus Communities Inc (ACC) $19.48 +1.14%
Call Volume in American Campus is 20x normal today, with a seller of 1000 March-June 20 call spreads for 1.075 just before noon. Shares in this REIT are up 1.77% near 19.60, and today’s trade will create the largest block of OI in the thinly traded name. Initiator may be looking for back-end premiums to [...]
Starent Networks Corp (STAR) $11.11 -7.80%
Starent Networks (STAR, chart, volatility), a Tewksberry, MA provider of networking and communication devices, is seeing increasing call volume. Shares are down 93 cents to $11.12 and options activity is running 13 times the average daily levels. 4,300 calls and just 40 puts traded. March 10 and 12.5 calls are the most actives, with all [...]
Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) $2.38 +0.00%
Advanced Micro (ADM, chart, volatility) saw increasing options volume Tuesday. Shares closed at $2.38 and the top two trades of the day: 5000 Jan10 2.5 puts for $1.23 and 5000 Jan11 7.5 calls for 52 cents. The trade was part of a modified collar where the strategist bought puts and sold calls against shares at [...]
Intersil Corporation (ISIL) $9.27 +0.32%
Intersil (ISIL, chart, volatility) is up a nickel to $9.29 and options volume is running at 22 times the typical levels. Sentiment seems somewhat bullish, as 7,400 calls and 2,400 puts have traded. Feb 10 calls are the most actives, with 3,600 traded and nearly all (99%) trading offerside.
Eastman Kodak Co (EK) $7.40 +1.51%
Put volume is picking up in Eastman Kodak (EK, chart, volatility) for a third time in a little more than a week. Feb 5 put open interest saw an increase of 10,000 Thursday. Jan and Feb 7.5 puts were active last Monday. Today, another 5,000 Feb 7.5 puts has traded, all in lots fewer than [...]
Yamana Gold Inc (AUY) $6.64 +3.27%
Yamana Gold (AUY, chart, volatility) is up 17 cents to $6.60 after gold rose $6 to $827 an ounce and the gold miner updated its outlook for gold production (1.3 to 1.4 million GEO in 2009). Sentiment in the options market seems directionally bearish. 8,400 AUY puts and 2,000 calls have traded. 5,100 Feb 6 [...]
Marten Transport Ltd. (MRTN) $16.90 -0.88%
Marten Transport earnings are due Jan 27th and a very large call sale took place on the CBOE this morning, suggesting a view that upside from the current $16.90 price level is limited. Just before 10am when shares were trading above $17.25 a customer began selling small lots of Feb 20 calls for 45 cents, [...]
