Technology
Computer Sciences Corp (CSC) $46.44 -4.28%
Computer Sciences (CSC) is under pressure Friday and is down $2.10 to $46.42, near session lows and dipping below a 50-day moving average. Options volume on the Falls Church, VA business services company is running 6.5X the daily average, being driven by a sweep of 2500 May 44 puts for $1.15 per contract. A firm [...]
NationStar Mortgage Holdings Inc (NSM) $36.79 +5.60%
Nationstar Mortgage (NSM) saw a midday spike and is up $1.91 to $36.75 on increasing volume of 1.5 million shares on an intraday headline that FHFA is extending the Home Affordable Refinance Program [HARP] to 2015. The stock is rallying around the news. 6,300 calls and 2,250 puts traded in NSM. Apr 35 calls are [...]
BMC Software Inc (BMC) $45.50 +1.68%
BMC adds 79 cents to $45.54 in brisk trading of more than 3 million shares on unconfirmed reports the company has received multiple takeover bids — Briefing. Options volume is 2.5X the daily average. 8,875 calls and 2000 puts so far. Most of the flow is in the April term. 45, 46, 47 and 48 [...]
VeriSign Inc (VRSN) $46.67 +0.55%
Verisign (VRSN) adds 28 cents to $46.69 and options volume on the Reston, VA telecomm is 5X the daily average, being led by a 3000-lot of Jan 50 calls, bought for $2.79 per contract, to open. More than 1,000 Sep 50 calls also traded in VRSN today and opening buyers seem to be driving the [...]
Equinix Inc (EQIX) $219.88 +0.39%
Chunky trade in Equinix calls today with a seller of 6211 Jan 200 calls for $32.70 tied to 430K shares at $220. Premium exceeds $20million and the trade appears to close the largest block of open interest outstanding in the datacenter operator.
Xerox Corp (XRX) $9.30 +3.76%
Xerox (XRX) is up 33 cents to $9.29 in brisk trading of 11.5 million shares after Piper Jaffray initiated the stock with an OverWeight rating. 11,000 calls and 2,170 puts traded in XRX so far, which is 4X the daily average. The bulk of the call activity is in Apr 9, May 9 and May [...]
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN) $35.71 -0.12%
Texas Instruments (TXN) is up 7 cents to $35.83, new 52-week highs, and options volume on the stock is 3X the daily average, being driven by an Apr 35 – 36 put spread, bought for 39 cents, 15000X. It might roll up in strikes and seems to be expressing a short-term bearish view on the [...]
Microsoft (MSFT) Draws Massive Put Spread
Microsoft (MSFT) drops $1.38 to $28.90 after data from IDC showed worldwide PC shipments down 13.9 percent in the first quarter — LINK to story. The news is weighing on large cap names throughout the tech sector Thursday morning, including Microsoft. Shares are under pressure and recent trades on the stock include an Apr 29/30 [...]
Research In Motion Ltd (BBRY) $13.86 -5.68%
Blackberry (BBRY) drops 76 cents to $13.93 in active trading of 14 million shares on reports of a discounted Z10 at Verizon and AT&T, as well as cautious analyst commentary. Options on the stock are busy as well. 26,000 calls and 46,000 puts so far. Weekly 14.5 puts, which are now 57 cents in-the-money and [...]
Microsoft Corp (MSFT) $30.20 +1.99%
Not everyone is hopping on the Microsoft bullish bandwagon (see MSFT 10:15 color). A block of 55,000 Apr 30 puts is bought on the software giant for 51 cents per contract. It’s tied to 1.5 millino shares for $30.25. Total volume at that strike is now 71,600 against 23,503 in open interest. The company will [...]
