Options Traders Utilize Materials ETF Puts to Construct Bearish Positions

Today’s tickers: XLB, XLF, VRGY & STJ

XLB – Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF – Options traders are initiating bearish strategies on the XLB, an exchange-traded fund designed to track the performance of the Materials Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index, with shares of the fund currently trading just 0.05% lower on the day at $38.43 as of 12:25pm. Investors bracing for a pullback in shares of the fund focused their attention on put options expiring in January and February of 2011 right out of the gate this morning. Plain-vanilla put buying took place at the February 2011 $38 strike where more than 7,600 puts changed hands, versus paltry previously existing open interest of 125 contracts. It looks like the majority of the puts, at least 5,100 of the contracts, were purchased at an average premium of $1.09 apiece this morning. Put buyers are poised to profit should the price of the underlying fund fall 3.95% from the current price of $38.43 to breach the average breakeven point to the downside at $36.91 by expiration in February. A nearer-term pessimistic player appears to have purchased a 1,000-lot January 2011 $37/$38 strike put spread for a net premium of $0.27 per contract. The investor makes money if XLB shares decline 1.8% to trade below the effective breakeven price of $37.73 by January expiration day. Maximum potential profits of $0.73 per contract are available to the put player should shares of the fund drop 3.7% to trade below $37.00 before the contracts expire next year. The overall reading of options implied volatility on the ETF is higher by 6.4% this afternoon to arrive at 20.86% as of 12:45pm.