Too Many Options: $VOD, $PCS, $MPEL

by Enis April 2, 2013 4:57 pm • Commentary

Staples and health care were the clear leaders again today, and option volumes light.

  1. VOD – Stock closed up 4% with a big intraday range after chatter about a potential bid from AT&T and Verizon.  The Jul 27/30 call spread traded 25k at around 1.57.
  2. PCS – May 9 calls traded more than 20k at an average price of 2.25, likely to close based on open interest.
  3. MPEL – Looks like someone rolling their long Apr 23 calls, about 20k, out to the May 24 calls, paying 0.10 for the privilege.  Stock has more than doubled in 7 months.
  4. BAC – Buyer of around 15k of the Jan14 15 calls right after the open, for about a 0.46 average price.  
  5. MS – May 22 / 21 put spread was sold at 0.42, rolling from the May 22 put to the May 21 put, 21,700 times.
  6. OXY – Trader bought 4,100 of the May 80 calls for 3.15.  OXY closed up 2% in a generally weak tape for energy stocks today.
  7. TSLA – More than 5x normal volume after yesterday’s ramp.  Mostly calls trade, with the most notable the Jan14 50 calls, where vol was up almost 2 points.
  8. GNW – Almost 20k of the Apr 10 calls trade, looks like closing, avg. price of 0.215
  9. SNE – May 20 calls trade over 25k, seller to open at 0.10, which is a bizarre option to sell.
  10. AAPL – Call to put ratio down to 1.15 today, near the lows of the past few weeks.  Weekly 430 puts the most active line, almost 35k.