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Daily Options Intelligence Report

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Bullish vibes radiate from energy fund

Thu, Jul 2 2009, 06:41 GMT
by Andrew Wilkinson

Interactive Brokers LLC

XLE – Energy Select Sector SPDR – Investors were observed making bullish plays on the energy ETF today amid a modest share price rally of less than 1% to $48.17. The August 49 strike price had more than 10,000 calls purchased for an average premium of 2.09 per contract. Traders long of the calls are hoping to see shares of the XLE increase 6% to breach the breakeven point at $51.09 by expiration. Elsewhere, investors shed 10,000 puts at the January 2010 45 strike price for 3.65 apiece. It would seem that the put-sellers expect shares of the energy fund to remain higher than $45.00 at the start of 2010. The full premium received today for writing the puts is retained as long as the puts land out-of-the-money by expiration. Investors short the contracts bear the risk of having shares put to them at an effective price of $41.35.

USU – USEC, Inc. – The supplier of low enriched uranium (LEU) for commercial nuclear power plants was launched onto our ‘most active by options volume’ market scanner after a massive bearish play was initiated on the stock. Shares of USU are currently off by less than .5% to $5.30. An investor looking to extend downside protection on the stock through expiration in October appears to have sold 47,500 puts at the July 5.0 strike price for a premium of 40 cents apiece. The trader then purchased 47,500 puts at the October 5.0 strike for 1.00 per contract. The net cost of the spread amounts to 60 cents or a total of $2,850,000. It is unclear whether the investor was long 47,500 puts prior to today’s transaction. If he were originally long the puts, the trade today would merely represent an extension of downside protection through expiration in October. However, if the trader has sold 47,500 puts short in the July contract to fund the purchase of the October puts, he bears the risk of having shares of the underlying put to him at an effective price of $4.60 by expiration. Downside protection on the October 5.0 strike puts kicks in beneath the breakeven share price of $4.40.

Published on  Thu, Jul 2 2009, 06:42 GMT