Too Many Options: $AAPL, $MSFT, $PBR, $ADM, $XLP

by Enis October 29, 2013 5:57 am • Commentary

Light stock and options volumes for the 3rd straight day.

  1. AAPL – Weekly calls were the most active lines, with the 550 and 530 strike calls trading the highest volume.  Stock is essentially unchanged in the pre-market after earnings yesterday.
  2. MSFT – Trader rolled short calls from Jan14 to April.  Bought over 35k of the Jan14 30 calls to close for 5.43 average price, and sold to open over 40k of the Apr 31 calls at an average price of 4.705, around premium neutral.
  3. PBR – Stock rose 9% after its earnings calls with almost 10x average call volume.  The stock cleanly broke above its 200 day moving average for the first time since early 2012.  The Jan14 20 calls traded over 30k.
  4. ADM – Buyer of 35k of the Mar 37 calls for 4.25, possibly to close.  Could be a trader taking off an overwrite position in ADM with the stock at 5 year highs.
  5. XLP – Buyer of over 20k of the Dec 43 calls for 0.444 average price.  XLP hit a new all-time high yesterday.