Today’s tickers: EEM, DRYS, SLV, GLD, DHI, BRCM, STSI & LFC

EEM– The emerging markets fund attracted a number of option investors again today following the put-spreading frenzy observed yesterday. A repeat performance looks to be in the works in the September contract, but fresh call buying activity was witnessed in the July contract today. Shares of the ETF have risen 1% to $33.05. It appears that 5,000 calls were purchased at the July 36 strike price for a premium of 51 cents apiece. But, even more noteworthy was the July 39 strike where it looks as though some 30,000 calls were bought for about 13 cents per contract. Shares would need to experience a rally of approximately 18% to breach the breakeven point at $39.13 by expiration in a couple of months. The emerging markets fund was last trading above $39.00 on August 29, 2008.iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF

DRYS– Shares of the Greek cargo-carrier are higher by more than 11% to $8.13 today fueled by gains of 5.05% in the dry bulk shipping index, which has climbed more than 90% in the month of May. A number of shipping stocks have edged upwards, but DryShips caught our attention as option traders made some bullish plays in the July contract. The July 9.0 strike price had more than 5,800 calls purchased for an average premium of 80 cents apiece. More optimistic individuals targeted the July 10 strike and pocketed 1,200 calls for 63 cents each. Shares would need to rally by an additional 30% through the breakeven point at $10.63 before profits are realized by investors long of July 10 calls. – Dryships, Inc.

SLV– A massive strangle strategy was initiated by one option trader looking for shares of the silver ETF to continue to exhibit bullishness through expiration in January of 2010. The SLV ticker symbol exploded to the top of our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner after 100,000 puts were sold at the January 13 strike for a premium of 83 cents apiece in conjunction with 100,000 calls shed at the January 19 strike for 1.04 each. The gross premium on the strangle amounts to 1.87 and looks to have been applied toward the purchase of 75,000 calls at the in-the-money January 14 strike at a cost of 2.80 each. The price tag on the long call position was effectively reduced to just 23 cents given…
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