Vale Options Combination Play
by Andrew Wilkinson - February 17th, 2011 4:08 pm
Today’s tickers: VALE, BID, EBAY & YGE
VALE - Vale S.A. – Earlier we reported that a large-volume three-legged bearish transaction had taken place on iron ore producer, Vale. Market sources have since informed us that the direction of the trade is the reverse of what had been indicated by raw time and sales data. The new information regarding the transaction alters our interpretation of the spread to bullish from the previously reported bearish view. Shares in the Brazilian firm increased as much as 0.82% during the session to secure an intraday high of $35.60, but are currently trading 0.20% high on the session at $35.38 as of 2:50pm. The options investor responsible for most of the volume in options exchanged on Vale today reportedly sold a large number of puts on the stock in order to buy in- and out-of-the-money call options in the May contract. The investor paid a net $2.24 per contract, selling 23,000 May $30 strike puts in order to buy 11,500 May $35 strike calls and another 11,500 calls up at the May $40 strike. The transaction positions the trader to benefit from bullish movement in the price of the underlying shares heading into Vale’s fourth-quarter earnings report on February 24, 2011, through to expiration day in May.
BID - Sotheby’s Holdings Inc. – One options player pocketed big profits on a well-timed bullish bet in Sotheby’s calls this morning. The auctioneers’ shares are currently up 0.2% at $48.34 as of 11:30am in New York, but hit a 6-month high of $49.03 yesterday, driving the stock’s run up to 86.4% since August 31, 2010. The gavel-bearer populating Sotheby’s today initiated a bullish bet back on January 25, 2011, when shares in the name encountered a bump in rally-road and slipped to a three-month low of $38.23.…
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Options Feeding Frenzy Ensues on Halliburton Co.
by Andrew Wilkinson - October 28th, 2010 4:44 pm
Today’s tickers: HAL, BP, USU, S, POT, VALE & SKX
HAL - Halliburton Co. – Investors are piling into put options on the oil services provider this afternoon following reports that suggest Halliburton shares culpability with BP for failing to act on warning signs that may have prevented the disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. At around 1:30 pm this afternoon, HAL’s shares descended into freefall, declining as much as 16.15% to an intraday low of $28.86 in the span of about 30 minutes. Shares gained some composure later in the session, but are still down 10.15% to stand at $30.93 as of 2:45 pm in New York. According to articles on the subject today, HAL submitted documents to the National Commission investigating the BP spill that showed that three out of the four tests of the foam cement conducted by Halliburton before the April 20 blowout indicated the mixture would be unstable. Although Halliburton shared the results of one of two tests conducted in February, neither BP nor Halliburton acted on the information from the foam-stability tests. Uncertainty regarding the impact this new information may have on HAL going forward sent options traders into overdrive and fueled a more than 89.7% increase in the stock’s overall reading of options implied volatility to an intraday high of 62.38%. Investors have driven options volume on Halliburton up to 225,000 contracts as of 3:05 pm. Volume is heaviest in the November contract with the $30 strike put options receiving the most attention. More than 19,000 puts have changed hands at that strike. But, traders are purchasing more bearish contracts as well in case HAL’s shares continue to suffer in the weeks ahead. Pessimists purchased puts at the November $25 strike, where more than 3,400 lots changed hands, at an average premium of $0.39 each. Near-term call options are quite active, as well. The majority of volume in November contract calls appears to be the work of sellers throwing in the towel on the HAL following today’s news story. Longer-term bearishness appeared in the April 2011 contract where one trader initiated a ratio put spread. It looks like the investor purchased 1,250 puts at the April 2011…
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Six Fortune 500 Companies including Vale, Walt Disney and Kraft, Move Regional HQ to Shanghai
by ilene - July 16th, 2010 9:11 pm
Six Fortune 500 Companies including Vale, Walt Disney and Kraft, Move Regional HQ to Shanghai
Courtesy of Mish
When you have a tax policy that begs corporations to move workers and profits overseas, this is what you should expect: 24 multinationals move HQ to Shanghai
24 multinational companies, have decided to move their regional headquarters to Shanghai, including 6 Fortune 500 companies such as Vale, Walt Disney and Kraft Foods.
This will push the total number of companies with regional headquarters in Shanghai to nearly 300. Nearly 500 have regional research and development centers there.
Shanghai has been China’s top destination, for multinationals. Even during the world economic slump, the city’s foreign direct investment still increased. Data shows Shanghai’s foreign direct investment has already surpassed more than 5 billion US dollars in the first half of this year.
US Tax policy allows deferral of taxes on corporate profits held overseas. Tax policy, in conjunction with global wage arbitrage, practically begs corporations to move jobs and profits overseas.
Meanwhile, small businesses struggling in the US face higher taxes and increased medical expenses thanks to the Obama administration. It’s a lose-lose situation for small businesses vs. larger multinationals.
The worst part of this sorry situation is small businesses are the real economic driver for jobs.
For further discussion of small businesses, job creation, and our inept policies, please see Bleak Outlook for Small Businesses and Job Creation; Where Obama Went Wrong, and What to do About It.
Addendum
A couple people pointed out the word "Regional." Offices did not move out of the US.
True enough.
However, the likelihood those regional offices are bigger at the expense of US is high, but admittedly there is no way of knowing. However the underlying message on tax policy is valid regardless.
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Bearish Options Combo Player Mauls Financials ETF
by Andrew Wilkinson - June 23rd, 2010 4:25 pm
Today’s tickers: XLF, VALE, MSFT, FTO, FITB, BRK B, PPL & GCI
XLF – Financial Select Sector SPDR – A bearish three-legged options combination play initiated on the XLF, an exchange-traded fund designed to provide investment results that correspond to the price and yield performance of the Financial Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index, indicates one big options player expects shares of the underlying fund to decline ahead of August expiration. Shares of the ETF are currently down 0.55% to stand at $14.49 with just under 30 minutes remaining before the closing bell. The pessimistic options strategist appears to have sold call options in order to partially offset the cost of buying a debit put spread. The investor sold 17,500 calls at the August $16 strike for a premium of $0.18 each, purchased 17,500 puts at the lower August $14 strike for a premium of $0.52 per contract, and finally sold 17,500 puts at the August $12 strike for a premium of $0.14 apiece. The net cost of the transaction is reduced to just $0.20 per contract. Thus, the bearish trader is poised to profit if shares of the XLF fall another 4.75% from the current price of $14.49 to breach the effective breakeven price of $13.80 by August expiration. The investor walks away with maximum potential profits of $1.80 per contract – for total gains of $3.150 million – if the price of the underlying fund plummets 17.2% to trade at or below $12.00 by expiration day in August.
VALE – Vale S.A. – Two-opposite minded options strategists initiated spreads on the iron-ore producer today. One of the investors displayed bearish sentiment on the stock by purchasing a plain-vanilla debit put spread, while the other options player put forth an optimistic stance on Vale by enacting a bullish risk reversal. Vale’s shares are up 0.70% to stand at $27.40 as of 3:40 pm (ET). The Vale-bear initiated a debit put spread, buying 7,500 lots at the September $25 strike for a premium of $1.36 apiece, and selling the same number of puts at the lower September $20 strike for $0.40 in premium per contract. The net cost of the transaction amounts to $0.96 per contract and prepares the investor to profit if Vale’s shares fall 12.25% from the current price to breach the effective breakeven point on the spread at $24.04. The put-spreader pockets maximum potential profits of…
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Vale SA Entices Bulls and Bears to Options Arena
by Andrew Wilkinson - June 14th, 2010 4:42 pm
Today’s tickers: VALE, TIVO, MS, CNQ, LVS, PBR & AMD
VALE – Vale SA – Two opposite-minded options strategists initiated directional plays on the Brazilian metals and mining firm in the July contract today. Shares of the world’s biggest iron ore producer are currently flat at $27.03 as of 3:30 pm (ET). One of the investors populating the July contract purchased a bearish put spread while the other trader enacted a bullish risk reversal. The pessimistic player picked up 6,000 puts at the July $26 strike for a premium of $0.81 apiece, spread against the sale of the same number of puts at the lower July $22 strike for a premium of $0.20 each. The net cost of the put spread amounts to $0.61 per contract. The put-spreader is positioned to profit should shares of the underlying stock decline 6.05% from the current price to breach the effective breakeven point to the downside at $25.39 by expiration. Maximum available profits of $3.39 per contract pad the investor’s wallet if Vale’s shares plummet 18.6% to $22.00 ahead of expiration day in July. In contrast to the bearish put spread, another options strategist initiated a bullish risk reversal, selling 4,000 puts at the July $25 strike for a premium of $0.57 each, in order to purchase the same number of calls at the higher July $30 strike for a premium of $0.46 apiece. The responsible party pockets a net credit of $0.11 per contract, and keeps the full amount as long as Vale’s shares exceed $25.00 through July expiration. Additional profits accumulate if shares of the underlying stock rally 11% to surpass the $30.00-level by expiration day next month. Options implied volatility on Vale SA is higher by 7.7% to 46.29% just before 3:40 pm (ET).
TIVO – TiVo, Inc. – Shares of the provider of technology and services for TiVo® subscription-based digital video recorders shot up as much as 8.25% today to touch an intraday high of $8.26 on speculation DirecTV is considering a buyout. The rally in the price of the underlying stock and takeover chatter inspired bullish options activity on TIVO during the session. One long-term optimist purchased a plain-vanilla debit call spread to position for sharply higher shares by expiration in January 2011. The investor picked up 1,000 calls at the January 2011 $11 strike for a premium of $1.16 each, and sold the same number of calls…
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Bank of America Bear Cleans Up
by Andrew Wilkinson - May 28th, 2010 5:41 pm
Today’s tickers: BAC, FXY, VALE, ATPG, CAT, EBAY, CSCO, KG, NE & AGN
BAC – Bank of America Corp. – Activity in out-of-the-money call options on Bank of America in the first half of the trading session appears to be the work of an investor taking profits on the closing purchase of a previously established bearish short call position. BAC’s shares surrendered 1.85% today to stand at $15.88 as of 2:45 pm (ET). It looks like the investor originally sold 20,500 calls at the November $24 strike for an average premium of $0.37 per contract back on April 28, 2010, when shares of the underlying stock were trading at a volume-weighted average price of $17.73 each. In the past four weeks since the initial sale of the calls, Bank of America’s shares declined 12.12% down to the current price of $15.88. The call seller was properly positioned to benefit from share price erosion, and today was able to buy back the same call options for just $0.10 apiece. Thus, the closing purchase of the calls yields net profits of $0.27 per contract to the responsible party.
FXY – CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Index Fund – A sizeable debit call spread enacted on the FXY, an exchange-traded fund designed to reflect the price of the Japanese Yen, indicates one options strategist is expecting shares of the underlying fund to rally sharply by expiration in January 2011. Shares of the fund are currently up 0.18% at $109.14 as of 1:52 pm (ET). The investor purchased 8,709 calls at the January 2011 $110 strike for a premium of $4.40 apiece, and sold the same number of calls at the higher January 2011 $125 strike for $1.00 in premium each. The net cost of the transaction amounts to $3.40 per contract, thus dictating a breakeven price – above which profits start to accumulate – of $113.40. Shares of the FXY must rally at least 3.90% from the current value of $109.14 before the responsible party starts to make money. Maximum potential profits of $11.60 per contract are available to the spread trader if shares jump 14.53% from the current value of the fund to $125.00 in the next eight months to expiration. It does not appear the fund’s share price has ever exceeded the current 52-week high of $115.40, attained back on November 30, 2009.
VALE – Vale S.A. – Shares of the world’s largest…
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Ford Motor Co. Calls Fly Off the Shelves
by Andrew Wilkinson - April 14th, 2010 5:09 pm
Today’s tickers: F, PGR, IBM, YHOO, SMH, LINTA, VALE, POT, LEN & RRGB
F – Ford Motor Co. – Call options on automobile maker, Ford Motor Co., are flying off the assembly line this afternoon with shares of the underlying stock soaring 4.5% higher to $13.36. Investors exchanged more than 381,000 option contracts on Ford by 3:25 pm (ET), and paid extra attention to call contracts, trading more than 3.7 calls to each single put option in action. The most heavily trafficked area of the Ford options arena today are call contracts at the September $14 strike where bullish players bought up approximately 86,000 lots for an average premium of $1.12 apiece. More than 99,100 calls changed hands at this strike, which puts the previously existing open interest of 22,831 contracts to shame. Call-buyers holding the September $14 strike call options are positioned to make money if the auto maker’s shares surge 13.2% over the current price to surpass the average breakeven price of $15.12 by September expiration. Ford’s overall reading of options implied volatility is up 14.5% to 39.48% with 30 minutes remaining in the trading session.
PGR – The Progressive Corp. – Bullish options investors dabbled in call options on the insurance holding company in late afternoon trading with shares of the underlying stock rallying up 5.55% to a new 52-week high of $20.55. One investor was prepared for the rally and banked profits on a previously established long call position today. It looks like the options optimist originally purchased 2,000 calls at the May $20 strike for an average premium of $0.35 apiece back on March 25, 2010, when shares of Progressive Corp. were trading at around $18.86 each. The subsequent surge in the value of Progressive’s shares prompted the trader to sell the calls today for a premium of $0.95 apiece, thus banking net profits of $0.60 per contract. Finally, the investor initiated a fresh bullish stance on the stock by purchasing 2,000 calls at the higher August $22.5 strike for a premium of $0.40 each. The trader makes money on the new call acquisition if the insurer’s shares increase another 11.45% to exceed the effective breakeven share price of $22.90 by expiration day in August.
IBM – International Business Machines Corp. – The computer services giant received a vote of confidence by one big bullish options player this afternoon amid a 1.7% increase in the…
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Options Trader Sends Bullish Signal by Enacting Ratio Call Spread on Salesforce.com
by Andrew Wilkinson - April 12th, 2010 5:05 pm
Today’s tickers: CRM, CPB, VALE, GDX, CNX, SLV, OSIP, BONT, UA & XRT
CRM – Salesforce.com, Inc. – A large-volume ratio call spread on the provider of customer relationship management services this afternoon implies one options investor expects CRM shares to rally significantly by August expiration. Salesforce.com’s shares increased as much as 1.83% today to reach a new 52-week high of $81.23 during the current session. According to a Reuters report this weekend, analysts at Deutsche Bank maintain their ‘buy’ rating on the stock and raised their share price target on CRM to $110 from $100. The optimistic options trader populating the stock this afternoon purchased 13,000 calls at the August $85 strike for a premium of $5.00 apiece, and sold 26,000 calls at the higher August $100 strike for $1.05 each. Net premium paid by the investor for the transaction amounts to $2.90 per contract. Maximum available profits of $12.10 per contract accumulate for the trader if shares of the underlying stock surge at least 23% from the new 52-week high of $81.23 to reach $100.00 by August expiration. The investor starts to make money as long as CRM’s shares trade above the effective breakeven point at $87.90 ahead of expiration day.
CPB – Campbell Soup Co. – Options traders anticipating a sharp increase in the price of Campbell Soup Co.’s shares by November expiration scooped up record numbers of call options on the global manufacturer and marketer of branded convenience food products today. CPB’s shares traded 0.25% higher in late afternoon trading to $35.45, which is just off their current 52-week high of $35.80 (attained back on December 2, 2009). Campbell-bulls purchased approximately 5,200 calls at the November $40 strike for an average premium of $0.55 per contract. Investors holding these contracts are prepared to profit should Campbell’s share price jump 14.4% from the current price to exceed the average breakeven point to the upside at $40.55. Investors exchanged roughly 5,925 option contracts on CPB during the trading session, which represents 56% of the total existing open interest on the stock of 10,567 lots.
VALE – Vale S.A. – Diverse bullish options strategies employed on Brazilian metals and mining company, Vale S.A., today indicates investors are expecting the price of the iron-ore maker’s shares to appreciate in the next few months. Vale’s shares rallied 1.20% at the start of the session to an intraday high – and new…
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Visa-Bulls Covet Call Options
by Andrew Wilkinson - March 30th, 2010 6:43 pm
Today’s tickers: V, RDC, VALE, EEM, STX, XRT, FXI, VZ, IPI & MMM
V – Visa, Inc. – Call options on credit card company, Visa, Inc., are in high demand today by investors who appear to be expecting a sharp rally in the price of the underlying stock by April expiration. Visa’s share price increased 0.85% to $91.00 in afternoon trading. Bullish options players purchased about 4,000 calls at the April $95 strike for an average premium of $0.60 apiece. Call-buyers at the April $95 strike stand ready to accrue profits if Visa’s shares rise 5% to surpass the effective breakeven price of $95.60 by expiration day in April. Other optimistic options traders picked up approximately 5,000 calls at the higher April $100 strike for an average premium of $0.15 each. These investors make money if shares of the underlying stock surge 10% to exceed the breakeven price of $100.15 by expiration.
RDC – Rowan Companies, Inc. – Shares of the onshore and offshore contract drilling company leapt up 6.4% to briefly touch a new 52-week high of $29.40 in afternoon trading perhaps on news Rowan has “made no change in plans to shed its onshore oil and gas drilling business and LeTourneau Technologies Inc. manufacturing unit to focus on offshore projects.” Rowan’s shares are still net up for the session by 1.95% to $28.17 as of 2:50 pm (ET). Bullish options traders scooped up nearly 8,000 call options at the April $30 strike for an average premium of $0.45 per contract. Call-buyers are positioned to make money if Rowan’s shares jump 8% from the current value of $28.17 to breach the breakeven point at $30.45 ahead of April expiration day. Investors exchanged more than 25,500 contracts on the stock throughout the session, which represents 46.75% of total open interest on RDC of 54,546 lots.
VALE – Vale S.A. – Covered-call selling on Brazilian iron ore producer, Vale S.A., indicates one investor is expecting shares of the underlying stock to continue to rally to new highs for the year through May expiration. Vale’s shares gained 2% earlier in the current session to attain a new 52-week high of $32.66, exceeding yesterday’s new high of $32.00. The so-called buy-write strategy observed today took place at the May $33 strike where one optimistic individual shed 10,000 calls for a premium of $1.33 apiece. At the same time, the investor purchased an equivalent…
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Cisco Call Options Fly off the Shelves
by Andrew Wilkinson - March 8th, 2010 4:06 pm
Today’s tickers: CSCO, DRYS, CIGX, AES, V, MCD, BIIB, SNE, GME & VALE
CSCO – Cisco Systems, Inc. – Bullish call-buying dominated options trading patterns on Cisco today on news the firm is slated to “make a significant announcement that will forever change the internet and its impact on consumers, businesses and governments.” Cisco’s shares jumped 4.15% to a new 52-week high of $26.25 during the session on a target share price upgrade to $28.00 from $26.00 at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Bullish traders purchased approximately 15,800 in-the-money calls at the March $26 strike for a premium of $0.33 apiece and coveted 9,300 calls at the higher March $27 strike for an average premium of $0.10 each. Uber-bullish individuals bought 4,000 calls at the March $28 strike for just two pennies premium per contract. Investors long the closest-to-the-money March $26 strike calls are positioned to accrue profits if Cisco’s shares trade above $26.33 ahead of expiration day. The surge in demand for options on the stock as well as uncertainty surrounding tomorrow’s announcement lifted the reading of overall options implied volatility on Cisco by 17.5% to 22.85% in afternoon trading.
DRYS – DryShips, Inc. – Dry-bulk shipping company, DryShips, Inc., experienced a short-lived dip in the price of its shares in morning trading, but regained its footing this afternoon, rallying 7.77% to $6.10 with about forty minutes remaining in the session. Call-buying action flooded DRYS today with approximately 22,300 now in-the-money calls picked up at the near-term March $6 strike for an average premium of $0.22 apiece. Nearly 12,000 calls were coveted at the higher March $7 strike for $0.05 premium per contract. Optimism spread to the same strike prices in the April contract, as well. Investors secured roughly 11,600 long in-the-money calls at the April $6 strike for an average premium of $0.39 each. Traders bought another 4,000 call options at the higher April $7 strike for $0.16 per contract. Options traders exchanged more than 130,000 contracts on DryShips during the session, which represents about 27% of total existing open interest on the stock of 480,443 contracts. Options implied volatility jumped approximately 34.8% this afternoon to 60.26%.
CIGX – Star Scientific, Inc. – Shares of the maker of dissolvable smokeless tobacco products surged 6.70% to $1.12 today, inspiring one investor to establish a bullish risk reversal on the stock in the August contract. The trader appears to have sold…
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Philip R. Davis is a founder Phil's Stock World, a stock and options trading site that teaches the art of options trading to newcomers and devises advanced strategies for expert traders...
Ilene is editor and affiliate program
coordinator for PSW. She manages the Favorites backup site
(