Today’s tickers: LEA, GLD, ALTH, MS, FXI, XHB, EEM & BNI
LEA – The designer and manufacturer of seating and electric automotive components has experienced a significant surge in shares, up more than 33% today to reach an intra-day high of $1.62. Apparently, interest in the severely bruised, broken, and beaten-down stock was ignited after a recommendation to get long of call options was released. Retail investors were likely first on the scene making small odd-lot plays and driving up call volume. By lunch-time some 24,000 calls had exchanged hands at the July 2.5 strike price for an average premium of 23 cents apiece. More savvy investors flocked to LEA after picking up the scent of fresh profits ready to be reined in. Thus, an insignificant gathering of traders buying call options quickly evolved into a feeding frenzy of investors buying and selling roughly equal numbers of calls. Investor churning increased the premium on the July 2.5 strike calls which now tote an asking price of 35 cents. Interest in LEA spread to the September 2.5 strike where approximately 11,500 calls were traded for an average premium of 50 cents per contract. Today’s activity generated option volume of more than 48,000 lots where previously just…