Amex Financial Select Sector (AMEX: XLF) volatility decreases after rate cut.

• XLF closed at $35.15.
  
• XLF seeks to replicate the total return of the Financial Select sector of the S&P 500 Index. Citigroup (NYSE: C), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), American International Group (NYSE: AIG), JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), Wachovia (NYSE: WB) and Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) are components of the XLF.
  
• XLF total option volume was 294,706 contracts on 9/18 . XLF over option implied volatility of 23 is below its 7-week average of 30 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing risk.

Volatility Index S&P 500 Options - VIX at 20.03; 10-day moving average is 24.43.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option update: Amex Financial Select Sector (XLF) volatility decreases originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Target (NYSE: TGT) volatility elevated on hopes Ackman's position will lead to changes. TGT is recently up .63 to $62.42. William Ackman's Pershing Square, an activist hedge fund, reported owning a 9.6% position in TGT on 7/16. www.Thestreet.com says "The giant retailer's intent now may be to maintain control of the valuable credit card business while unlocking cash." TGT September & October option implied volatility of 38 is above its 26-week average of 28 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risks.

Rambus (NASDAQ: RMBS) volatility increases on renewed takeover chatter. RMBS, a technology licensing company specializing in the invention and design of high-speed chip interfaces, is recently up $1.30 to $17.08 on unconfirmed and renewed takeover chatter. RMBS has a market cap of $1.7 billion with March 2006 total quarterly revenue of $47 million. RMBS has upcoming patent infringement & anti-trust claim issues in 2008. RMBS call option volume of 22,361 contracts compares to put volume of 3,000 contracts. RMBS September option implied volatility is 75, October at 68 above a level of 58 from last week; February 2008 is at 68. RMBS average option implied volatility over the last 26-weeks is 57 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risks.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option update: TGT volatility elevated on expectations of activist interest originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple (NYSE: AAPL) volatility elevated on unconfirmed chatter iPod production reduced.

• AAPL is recently down $3.90 to $137.50 on unconfirmed chatter AAPL reduced iPod production.
  
• AAPL announced three billion songs have been purchased and downloaded from iTunes.com.
  
• RBC Capital reiterated its Outperform rating on AAPL.
  
• AAPL call option volume of 106,511 contracts compares to put volume of 87,001 contracts. AAPL August option implied volatility of 43 is above its 26-week average of 37 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

Under Armour (NYSE: UA) volatility flat as UA rallies to record after EPS.

• UA is recently up $7.97 to $63.23 after UA reported 2nd EPS of 11 cents, above consensus estimates of 3 cents. UA revenues grew 50% to $120.5 million.
  
• Smith Barney has a Hold rating with a $52 price target on UA.
  
• UA call option volume of 5,072 contracts compares to put volume of 3,440 contracts. UA September option implied volatility of 42 is near its 26-week average according to Track Data, suggesting flat price risks.

Daily options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option update 7-31-07: Unconfirmed chatter Apple reducing iPod production originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

OptionXpress Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OXPS) -- volume & volatility Elevated on renewed buyout speculation. OXPS is recently up $0.87 to $26.47 on renewed buyout speculation. OXPS call option volume of 3,911 contracts compares to put volume of 33 contracts. OXPS August option implied volatility of 47 is above its 26-week average of 39 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price fluctuations.

Select Comfort Corp. (NASDAQ: SCSS) -- calls active on unconfirmed Tempur Pedic International Inc. (NYSE: TPX) buyout speculation. SCSS, a personalized sleep product company, is recently up $0.15 to $17.49. TPX has been frequently mentioned as interested in acquiring SCSS assets over the last three years. SCSS has a market cap of $854 million with zero long term debt. SCSS had March quarterly 2007 revenue of $216 million. TPX has a market cap of $2.4 billion. SCSS call option volume of 3,011 contracts compares to put volume of 174 contracts. SCSS August option implied volatility of 42 is above its 26-week average of 39 according to Track Data, suggesting slightly larger price fluctuations.

Option volume leaders today are: Research in Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL).

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

Option update 7-16-07: OptionXpress volume elevated originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) volatility and volume elevated prior to Blackstone paying $26 billion. HLT announced Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) will acquire all the outstanding common stock of HLT for $47.50 per share. HLT closed at $36.05. I reported near the close of trading on 7/3/07 "option volume & volatility Elevated as HLT rallies 6%." HLT total volume of 32,490 contracts and HLT July option implied volatility of 39 was aggressive, above its 26-week average of 31 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

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

Option update 7-3-07: Blackstone purchasing Hilton originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 04 Jul 2007 06:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cleveland Cliffs (NYSE: CLF) -- volatility suggests Risk on renewed Speculation; CLF at record. CLF, a producer of iron ore pellets, is recently up $2.38 to $80.26. CLF has been frequently mentioned as an M&A target. CLF has a market cap of $3.3 billion. CLF call option volume of 2,960 contracts compares to put volume of 783 contracts. CLF June option implied volatility of 49 is above its 26-week average of 37 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price fluctuations.

Pennsylvania REIT (NYSE: PEI) -- elevated implied volatility confirms buyout Speculation. PEI, with an investment focus on retail shopping malls and power and strip centers located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., is recently up $1.79 to $45.82. Take-over speculation is circulating on PEI this morning. PEI has a market cap of $1.66 billion with long term debt of $1.9 billion. PEI June option implied volatility of 39 is above its 22-week average of 20 according to Track Data, suggesting larger risk.

Option volume leaders today are: Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Biogen Idec Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB).

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

Option update 5-30-07: Cleveland Cliffs, Penn REIT originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 30 May 2007 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BEA Systems (NASDAQ: BEAS) -- option volume heavy on open as renewed Chatter circulates. BEAS is a leading supplier of middle-ware software. BEAS has a market cap of $4.5 billion with long term debt of $230 million. BEAS reported 2006 revenue of $1.199 billion. BEAS call option volume of 11,213 contracts compares to put volume of 578 contracts. BEAS has been frequently mentioned as an acquisition target for IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL) over the last 18 months. BEAS June option implied volatility of 49 is above its 26-week average of 36 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risk.

Dollar Thrifty Automotive (NASDAQ: DTG) -- options calm as DTG rallies on Speculation. DTG, a daily rental agency of vehicles, has a market cap of $1.1b billion. DTG is recently up $0.85 to $50 on M&A speculation. DTG over all option implied volatility of 25 is below its 26-week average of 28 according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price risk.

Option volume leaders today are: Dendreon Corp. (NASDAQ: DNDN), Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM), Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) and Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO).

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

Option update 5-9-07: BEAS option volume Heavy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 May 2007 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dendreon

Option update 4-27-07: MSFT option implied volatility Collapses originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Apr 2007 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Volatility Index for S&P 500 Options is down $.32 to $15.65.

Lear Corp. (NYSE: LEA) June 40 calls bid up on expected Buyout offer exceeding Icahn's $36. LEA, an automotive interior systems & components supplier, announced on February 9, 2007 that American Real Estate Partners, a holding company controlled by Icahn, will purchase LEA for $36 per share in cash. LEA June 40 calls are bid $.85, according to Track Data, suggesting buyers expect LEA to trade above $40 in the next three months.

Accredited Home Lenders (NASDAQ: LEND) volatility increases to 133 suggesting Aggressive Risk. LEND, a mortgage company originating, financing, securitizing, servicing and selling non-prime mortgages, is recently down $1.00 to $16.57. On March 2, LEND filed to delay its 10-K. LEND call option volume of 7,784 contracts compares to put volume of 16,687 contracts. LEND April option implied volatility of 133 is above its 26-week average of 60 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price fluctuations.

Option volume leaders today were: Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), Citigroup (NYSE: C), Altria (NYSE: MO) and ScanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK).

The Daily Option Update is provided by Stock Options Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Daily Option Update - March 7, 2007 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Note: The Daily Option Update is provided by Stock Options Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Mirant Corp. (NYSE:MIR) implied volatility Elevated at 32 as MIR trades near Record levels.

MIR is expected to report full EPS & hold a conference call on 3/5. MIR has been frequently mentioned as a potential candidate for announcing a recapitalization or a share repurchase. MIR call option volume of 1,044 contracts compares to put volume of 3,001 contracts. MIR overall option implied volatility of 32 is above its 26-week average of 26 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price risks.

New Century Financial Corp (NYSE:NEW) low cost deep OTM April & May 5 put spread trades as Hedge.

NEW, a real estate investment trust, providing mortgage products to borrowers nationwide, is recently down 37c to $15.47. NEW deep out of the money April 5 puts traded 4,715 contracts near the bid at .12 & .13 cents above its theoretical value of .01 cent. NEW deep out of the money May 5 puts traded 5,568 contracts on the offer of .40 cents above theoretical value of .04 cents according to Track Data, suggesting spreaders paying up to hedge risk.

Continue reading Daily option update - March 2, 2007

Daily option update - March 2, 2007 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.