As of today Friday September 11, 2009 the top ten option contracts traded were:
- PowerShares QQQ (NASDAQ:QQQQ) September 42 Call Options
- PowerShares QQQ October 41 Put Options
- S&P 500 SPDR ETF (NYSE:SPY) December 105 Call Options
- S&P 500 SPDR ETF December 105 Put Options
- Regions Financial (NYSE:RF) September 5 Put Options
- Citigroup (NYSE:C) September 5 Call Options
- Financial Sector SPDR (NYSE:XLF) September 14 Put Options
- PowerShares QQQ September 40 Put Options
- S&P 500 SPDR ETF September 100 Put Options
- S&P 500 SPDR ETF September 104 Put Options
With only one week until expiration it looks as if some bearish bets have been made. With Regions Financial spinning out a 10 cent dividend on Tuesday, one could say it may be an early dividend play, however they are put options and normally this wouldn’t play into action 3 days before it comes out of the share price. With the contract selling as high as 15 cents a share today, someone is very bearish. Also the September 14 puts on the Financial SPDR were among the most active for a second day in a row. Also it is apparent that a strategist may be betting on a big move to come by December, as multiple 105 December straddle positions were opened, trading at roughly $1,000 per option straddle.
