AOL (AOL) is expected to report Q1 EPS before the open on April 28. AOL May put option implied volatility is at 39, June puts are at 37, October is at 38, near its 22-week average, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) closed at $7.54. The investment objective of UNG is for the changes in percentage terms of the unit's net asset value to reflect the changes in percentage terms of the price of natural gas delivered at the Henry Hub, Louisiana. Natural Gas futures are recently up 40% to $4.233, according to Bloomberg. Overall option implied volatility of 50 is near its 26-week average, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) up 3.50 to 20.98, above 50-day moving average of 17.83; S&P 500 recently down 1.71%.

Goldman Sachs (GS) is recently up 81c to $152.88. GS call option volume of 60,274 contracts compares to put volume of 63,724 contracts. May put option implied volatility is at 44, June is at 41; above its 26-week average of 33 according to Track Data. GS June 175 calls volatility is at 37, June 125 put volatility is at 58, suggesting traders taking positions for downside price movement.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

CenturyLink (CTL) and Qwest Communications (Q) announced that their boards of directors have approved a definitive agreement under which CenturyLink will acquire Qwest in a tax-free, stock-for-stock transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, Qwest shareholders will receive 0.1664 CenturyLink shares for each share of Qwest common stock they own at closing. Q overall option implied volatility of 31 is below 26-week average of 40, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Goldman Sachs (GS) closed at $158.93. GS overall option implied volatility of 35 is near its 26-week average of 33, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Exxon Mobil (XOM) closed at $68.23. XOM is expected to report Q1 EPS on April 29. Crude oil futures are recently up 1.34% to $82.54 according to Bloomberg. Overall option implied volatility is at 21; versus its 26-week average of 22, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) closed at $78.72. BRK.B annual shareholder meeting is on May 1st. BRK.B overall option implied volatility of 27 is above its 26-week average of 23 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Goldman Sachs (GS) is recently down $24.39 to $160. The SEC charged Goldman Sachs with fraud relating to CDO's. GS is expected to announce Q1 EPS on April 20. Call option volume of 74,498 contracts compares to put volume of 77,029 contracts. May put option implied volatility of 50 is above a level of 27 from April 13 and above its 26-week average of 32 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

CBOE Volatility Index-VIX up 2.96 to 18.85.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Sunoco (SUN) closed at $30.34. WTI crude futures are recently up 1.12% to $84.99, according to Bloomberg. May option implied volatility is at 36, August is at 37, below its 26-week average of 41, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

ISE Sentiment Index-ISEE closed at 78 on 4/13/10. ISEE 10-day moving average is 128.

Three stocks with IV rise on April 13; Avon (AVP) +5%, Popular Inc (BPOP) +9%, Ambac Financial Group (ABK) +19%, according to IVolatility.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Apple (AAPL) closed at $242.02 on Friday. On April 8, AAPL announced its new iAd platform for its mobile devices. AAPL is expected to announce Q2 EPS on April 20. May and July is at 32; verses its 26-week average of 33 contracts according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

DryShips (DRYS) closed at $6.56. DRYS April put option implied volatility is at 65, June is at 59, September is at 57; below its 26-week average of 74. Options were active on April 9th with 115,489 contracts trading according to Track Data. Average daily volume is 56K contracts according to IVolatility.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

US Airways (LCC) rallied 10% to close at $7.55 on reports of merger talks with United Airlines (UAUA). LCC is expected to report Q1 EPS in late April. WTI Crude futures are recently up 1.01% to $86.25, according to Bloomberg. Overall option implied volatility is below its 26-week average of 89, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

UAL Corp (UAUA) rallied 6% to close at $20.23. UAUA overall option implied volatility of 60 is below its 26-week average of 79, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Three stocks with IV rise on April 8; Eastman Kodak (EK) +15%, Brodcade (BRCD) +4%, MGM-Mirage (MGM) +2% according to IVolatility.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) closed at $59.62. Crude futures are recently down 0.78% to $85.21 according to Bloomberg. RDS.A over all option implied volatility of 20 is below its 26-week average of 23, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price fluctuations.

DJ US Real Estate Index Fund (IYR) closed at $50.96. IYR overall option implied volatility of 23 is below its 26-week average of 31, according to Track Data suggesting decreasing price movement.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Amazon (AMZN) closed at $135.56. AMZN is expected to report EPS on April 22. AMZN options were active with 84,149 options trading on April 6. April put option implied volatility of 33, May is at 42, July is at 38, versus near its 26-week average of 42, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing near-term price movement.

TiVo (TIVO) closed at $17.54. TIVO overall option implied volatility of 56 is below its 26-week average of 79, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Otions Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Freeport McMoRan (FCX) closed at $87.33. Copper is recently up 0.51% to 361.30 according to Bloomberg. FCX is expected to announce Q1 EPS in late April. May put option implied volatility is at 39, August puts are at 40, versus its 26-week of average of 44, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Chesapeake Energy (CHK) closed at $24.58. CHK is scheduled to report Q1 EPS on May 3. Natural gas is recently down 1.08% to 4.042, according to Bloomberg. May put option implied volatility is at 37, July is at 39, below its 26-week average of 42, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

PetroChina (PTR) closed April 1 at $119.13. WTI Crude Oil Futures are recently up .65% to $85.42 according to Bloomberg. PTR April put option implied volatility is at 25, May puts are at 28, June is at 30; below its 26-week average of 32 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Baidu (BIDU) closed at $600. BIDU overall option implied volatility of 40 is near its 26-week average of 42, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Honeywell (HON) closed at $45.27 after HON said, "The strong productivity actions taken last year are continuing to benefit the company, and along with improving economic conditions, we now expect our earnings to be near the high-end of our full-year guidance range of $2.20 – 2.40." The 2010 consensus EPS estimate is $2.40. April put option implied volatility is at 21, May and June is at 24, September is at 27; verses its 26-week average of 28 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing near-term price movement.

Three stocks with IV rise on March 31; Liberty Property Trust (LRY) +3%, Arena Pharma (ARNA) +7%, Garmin (GRMN) +5% according to IVolatility.

CBOE Volatility Index-VIX at 17.59; 10-day moving average is 17.28, 50-day is 20.53, 200-day moving average is 23.26.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

United States Oil Fund (USO) is recently up 17 cents to $40.12 in pre-open trading. WTI Crude futures are recently up 0.58% to $82.85 according to Bloomberg. USO unit net asset value reflects the performance of the spot price of West Texas intermediate light crude. April put option implied volatility is at 28, May is at 31, July is at 33; verses its 26-week average of 37, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Qualcomm (QCOM) closed at $42.13. QCOM has been recently subject to wide share price movement. QCOM overall option implied volatility of 27 is near its 26-week average of 29 according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com

Google (GOOG) closed at $54. GOOG started redirecting its China traffic to its Hong Kong portal on March 22, where it will serve unfiltered results. April put option implied volatility is at 31, May is at 27, June is 27, versus its 26-week average of 27, according to Track Data, suggesting non-directional price movement.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) of 16.35 at low end of range; 50-day is 20.54.

Option volume leaders on March 23, according to Track Data, are: BAC, C, AAPL, F, JPM.

Options Update is by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.