On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover interesting Potash (NYSE: POT) options insight and the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which took another breather to end the week. The volatility index dropped 0.4 point to 17.6 on the day Friday after peaking at 19 on the week. March options expiration is upon the market, and we could see greater swings in the VIX as the end of the week approaches.

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides options insight on POT, which accumulated heavy front-month options volume as investors could be interested in getting in prior to expiration on Friday.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which took a breather and dropped to 18 at the close yesterday. The volatility index popped up to 19.3 during midday trading, and sold off more than one point from the high level going into the close.

February retail sales climbed 0.3% compared to estimates of a 0.2% drop.

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategies Jud Pyle provides options insight on Zimmer Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ZMH), and a look at the at-the-money straddle to evaluate implied volatility. ZMH shares closed at $57.03 on Thursday.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover another pop-up in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The volatility index climbed roughly 0.5 point to 18.5 on the day Wednesday, after dipping to 17.5 during morning trading and spiking at 18.5 ahead of the close. March options expiration next week could continue to swing the VIX higher, but the index remains in a tight range as earnings season comes to a close.

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook looks at bullish option plays in Monsanto (NYSE: MON) as the stock seems to be bottoming near $70.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which continues to trade in a tight range as the market remained relatively unchanged on Tuesday. The volatility index opened at 18.2 and sold off during the afternoon session to 17.5 to close at 17.9 on the day.

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides options insight on intraday action in Allstate (NYSE: ALL). Heavy call volume hit the tape thanks to at least one investor who traded call spreads banking on later-term volatility. ALL shares closed down 12 cents to $31.87.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which popped up slightly as the market remained relatively unchanged. The VIX dropped roughly 0.4, or 2%, on the day Monday to close at 17.8. As this round of earnings season nears its end, we could see the volatility index make greater swings, especially with international trade and retail sales figures due later this week.

David Hightower takes another look at recent trends in LME copper stocks and what they might spell for prices and the global industrial recovery. Then he re-visits the Commitments of Traders report for the S&P’s to see if persistent net speculative short positioning is signaling further upside in stocks.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the week-long decline in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 10% on the week. The VIX closed on Friday at 17.4, a 1.3 point drop on the day Friday. The VIX traded between 19.5 and 17.4 last week.

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides options insight on InterMune Inc. (NASDAQ: ITMN), including a bear put ratio and iron condor.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the continued decline in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The VIX dropped 0.1 point to 18.7 on the day Thursday, and traded in a range between 18.6 and 19.2.

February nonfarm payrolls dropped by 36,000, less than the estimated 68,000. This better-than-expected news was coupled with an unemployment rate surprise. The unemployment rate dropped to 9.7% compared to estimates of 9.8% last month.

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides options insight on Boeing (NYSE: BA), as an investor expressed bullishness with an August risk reversal following an upgrade from UBS. BA shares closed on Thursday at $65.55.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped another 0.2 point to 18.8 on the day Wednesday. The VIX traded in a range between 18.4 and 19.5 intraday. The index dropped to its low while the market rallied, but climbed along with the broader market sell-off during afternoon trading.

Jobless claims dropped by 29,000 to 469,000, which was lower than estimates of 470,000. Continuing claims fell to 4.5 million from just higher than 4.6 million.

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle provides options insight on HMO names Wellpoint (NYSE: WLP) and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) , and potential strategies for traders. Take-over rumors surfaced that WLP could acquire Aetna (NYSE: AET) on March 3. UNH has not announced any notable news, but both WLP and UNH are expected to announce earnings around the end of April.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 0.2 point to 19 on Tuesday. The volatility index reached a high of 19.3 and a low of 18.5 during yesterday’s session. As earnings season wraps up, it’s interesting the market continues to see a tight range in the VIX.

Kevin Cook, market analyst at ONN.tv, shines a spotlight on the gold sector (NYSE: GLD) and looks at interesting options action in Potash Corp. (NYSE: POT) and Intrepid Potash (NYSE: IPI).

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 0.3 point to 19.2 on the day Monday. Volatility continues to drop going into the new month, and edged down despite the relatively unchanged market yesterday. The VIX reached a high of 19.6 intraday.

David Hightower talks to commercial producers and buyers of commodities around the world. His analysis of trends is usually early and prescient, and today’s look at factors that will drive grain prices higher this year is no exception.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover week-long decline in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 0.4 point to 19.5 on the day Friday. The VIX continues to trade in a tight range, and seems to shrug off any market swings following economic data. Additionally, investors continue to sell volatility despite a relatively unchanged market to end the week.

Personal spending in January climbed 0.1% compared to estimates of a 0.4% gain. Personal income came in 0.1% higher than estimates for last month.

Jared Levy analyzes options volume in Alcoa (NYSE: AA), which received a boost thanks to an investor who bought 30,000 July 15 calls during Friday’s session. The company could announce earnings figures in mid-April.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the drop in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) heating into the last day of this week. The volatility index declined roughly one point to 20.1. Despite the sell-off in the market following a worse-than-expected jobless claims report, investors continue to price in less movement in the market.

Fourth quarter GDP climbed by 5.9%, compared to estimates of 5.7%. Fourth-quarter personal consumption climbed up 1.7%, compared to the estimated 2% rise.

Kevin Cook provides options insight in MGM Mirage, Lowe’s and Suncor.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 1.2 points to 20.2 on the day Thursday. The decline in the VIX came following a worse-than-expected home sales report, but the market seemed to shrug off any negativity in economic data.

We’ll see if the strength continues, as jobless claims disappointed again this week. Jobless claims climbed to 496,000 compared to estimates of 460,000.

Thing the gold sector could rally? Find out where the buying opportunities could be in GLD options.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which climbed more than 7% to 21.5 on Tuesday. The volatility index continues to move in a tight range, reaching a high of above 21 and a low of 19.9 yesterday.

As the market slid into the close yesterday, commodity and base material stocks felt the burn, as the broader sector fell more than 2% compared to the 1.2% decline in the market. We saw bullishness out of one investor is Arcelor Mittal (NYSE: MT), in the April 40 calls. However, the October 34 puts were active in Goldcorp. (NYSE: GG) on a bearish bet.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped slightly on the day Monday to below the 20-mark. The VIX climbed to a high of 21 during morning trading, but sold off intraday and closed at 19.9.

For an exclusive look at factors driving gasoline prices and the latest speculative positions in the S&P 500 futures as indicating about this market rally, stay tuned for Kevin Cook’s interview with David Hightower.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover continued lows in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The VIX dropped by 0.6 point to 20 on the day at expiration Friday. The VIX sold off during the day, but popped up slightly during the last hour of trading.

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle provides an update on a potential condor position he analyzed last month. This month, option traders could be experiencing déjà vu, as the SPY is basically right back to where it was at the start of the new year. Pyle remains confident that if the SPY remains range-bound the condor position will continue to turn profits. Check out ONN.tv’s free premium portfolio for the latest trade alerts from the experts.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover continued lows in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The VIX dropped by 1.2 points to 20.6 on the day Thursday ahead of options expiration tonight after the close. The VIX hovered around 21.7 throughout afternoon trading on Thursday, but sold off during the last couple hours of the day.

The CPI report showed a 0.1% gain in January. The index popped up to 0.2% compared to estimates of 0.3%.

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy analyzes a call one-by-two spread that crossed the tape out of the gate on Thursday. An investor bought the June 42-47 call one-by-two spread during morning trading on a moderately bullish bet. Additionally, options volume boosted in the front-month and March options series.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover continued lows in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which declined 0.4 point to 21.8 on Wednesday following better-than-expected earnings announcements ahead of options expiration on Friday.

The PPI report showed a 1% gain in January. The index popped up to 1.4% compared to estimates of 0.8%.

Initial jobless claims clocked in at 473,000 compared to estimates of 438,000. Continuing claims remained at 4.5 million.

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook looks at options trading in Potash yesterday. We saw a bullish ratio call spread trade with a very optimistic target price throughout the next 30 days.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which declined 0.5 point to 22.25 following positive earnings announcements on Tuesday. The volatility index popped up to 23.5 during morning trading, but sold off into the 22-level throughout the day.

Housing starts jumped 2.8% last month to 591,000, compared to estimates of just 580,000.

ONN.tv covered heavy put buying action in UAL Corp. (NASDAQ: UAUA) on Tuesday. The airline name has seen a nice run in the stock, which closed up roughly 2% on the day Tuesday. This could be the reason we’re seeing investors load up on puts for downside protection in UAUA.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which declined another point to 22.7 on the day Friday. The volatility index took a breather ahead of the long weekend, and could see greater swings going into options expiration.

Options expiration week is also full of economic data. ONN.tv will cover housing starts and jobless claims figures due on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, and have the PPI and CPI numbers for viewers at the end of the week.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 1.3 points to 23.9. The reached a high of 26 and a low of 23.8 on the day Thursday.

Retail sales climbed 0.5%, compared to estimates of a 0.3% rise in January.

ONN.tv’s Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides analysis market volatility and range-bound movement working together to keep things calm.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

Initial jobless claims came in at 440,000 compared to estimates of 465,000 on the week. Continuing claims fell to 4.5 million from 4.6 million applications.

ONN.tv’s Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle provides insight on interesting options action across the market as volatility continues to be a focus for investors.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the half-point drop in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The volatility index closed at 26 on Tuesday, after reaching 26.5 intraday. The VIX dipped to a low of 24.8 on the day, continuing to show a tight range in volatility trading. The February 106 straddle is currently priced at 3.3% of strike.

The trade balance dropped by $40.2 billion compared to estimates of $35.8 billion in December.

ONN.tv’s Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides insight into heavy options action in Bank of America, without any company specific news.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which popped up 0.4 point to 26.5 on the day Monday. The VIX moved in a tight range throughout Monday’s trading session, and investors expect a 3.5% move in either direction based on the at-the-money February 106 straddle.

ONN.tv’s Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides insight into volatility in the markets and how professional traders analyze movement.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which closed relatively unchanged on the day Friday. The volatility index peaked higher than 29 during afternoon trading, but sold off later in the day to close at 26.1.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which rose more than 4 points to 26 on the day Thursday. The volatility index climbed steadily throughout the day, and popped up during the last half hour of trading.

The unemployment rate declined 0.3% in January to 9.7% compared to estimates of an unchanged rate at 10%. Nonfarm payrolls came in lower than expected, and dropped by 20,000 compared to estimates of a 15,000 rise.

Sunoco (NYSE: SUN) shares closed down 79 cents to $25.70 at the end of Thursday’s trading session, and one investor bought calls prior to the company’s earnings report. SUN reported earnings of 27 cents a share, which missed by one cent. The stock is currently trading down 18 cents to $25.49.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which popped up 0.1 point to 21.6 on Wednesday. Positive retail sales reports could give the VIX another breather heading into the end of the week, as investors anticipate more jobs data.

Jobless claims rose by 10,000 applications last week, clocking in at 480,000 compared to estimates fo 455,000. Continuing claims came in just higher than 4.6 million.

Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides insight on volatility in the market as the week comes to an end.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the one point drop in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) on Tuesday. The VIX dropped to 21.5 on the day, as investors anticipate this week’s jobs data.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is due to announce earnings figures tonight after the market closes, and Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle provides potential volatility plays for option traders. Those investors looking for significant moves in the stock in either direction could buy the at-the-money February 85 straddle, which is currently priced at $4.80. Investors looking for the stock to move less than 5.6%, or 4.80 divided by 85, could sell the ATM straddle looking for near-term range-bound movement.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which declined two points to 22.5 on Monday. Investors sold volatility throughout the day, as the index dropped 7% on the day yesterday.

Out of the gate yesterday, an investor boosted option volume in Aetna (NYSE: AET) by selling a near-term put spread. By the end of the day, 20,000 April 30-25 put spreads crossed the tape, as one investor prepared for the company’s earnings due on Feb. 5 before the market opens. AET shares dropped roughly 1% to just under $30-mark yesterday.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which climbed 0.9 to 24.6 on t he day Friday. The volatility index actually dropped 0.8 on the week, suggesting volatility continues to decline amid the market correction.

Personal income in December climbed 0.4%, compared to estimates of a 0.5% climb. Later this morning, we expect to see construction spending last month down 0.5%.

We saw a market correction last week, and Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides insight into S&P 500 volatility and where the correction could lead.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which popped up 0.8 point to 23.7 following the jobless claims report that left the market in the red on Thursday. The VIX reached a high around the 25-mark yesterday, but investors seem to continue to sell volatility in the near-term.

The GDP report quarter-over-quarter showed a 5.7% advance compared to estimates of 4.5%.

Shares of Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) closed at $23.47, and the stock could climb even higher after its potential deal to acquire Sun Microsystems. Option investors could play this news using two possible strategies, according to Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle: Buy high delta calls or sell put spreads. Investors could buy the January 2011 15 calls for $9, or sell the June 24-15 put spread for $1.80.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), dropped more than 5% to the 23-mark. The volatility index declined roughly one point along with the broader market rally following the Federal Reserve announcement that interest rates would remain unchanged near zero percent.

U.S. Steel (NYSE: X) shares have seen a significant drop-off throughout the last month, and the stock fell 6% during yesterday’s trading session following a worse-than-expected earnings report. The company missed estimates by 21 cents a share. Market Analyst Kevin Cook highlights interesting options action throughout the day Wednesday.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which took another breather during Tuesday’s trading session. The volatility index dropped 0.8 point, or roughly 3%, to 24.5. the market remained relatively flat, despite better-than-expected earnings from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), and Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides insight on front-month upside call action in the computer giant.

During Tuesday’s trading session, a hefty number of February 201 calls and February 220 calls crossed the tape, and it looks like an investor could have traded these options in a spread.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the significant drop in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The VIX dropped more than 8% to 25 as the broader market seems to have started a recovery rally. We could also see another drop in the VIX during today’s trading session following better-than-expected earnings figures from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ).

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle discusses another strategy to interpret market moves: selling the rally, instead of buying the dips. Investors intrigued by these plays could take a look at Amazon (AMZN), which is scheduled to announce earnings after the market closes on Thursday. Pyle says AMZN is an example of a stock that might not drop, but might be hard-pressed to rally.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the major sell-off in the broader market on Friday and the significant pop in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The volatility index gained more than five points to close higher than 27.5 on the day. The 23% climb in the VIX suggests investors remain uncertain about investing.

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides insight into call action in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) just one trading session ahead of the company’s earnings report due tonight after the close. As the market recovers from a three-day sell-off, AAPL shares could also rally while investors anticipate the company meeting the introduce the tablet. On the same day of the tablet launch, AAPL could also announce its loss of iPhone exclusivity.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which gained roughly 3.6 points to 22.2 on the day Thursday.

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook takes a look at implied volatility for option traders after Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) earnings surprised to the upside.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which popped up more than 6% on the day to 18.6. The volatility index saw a 1.1 point climb on Wednesday, following earnings from financial names, and we could see the market make more significant moves as earnings season progresses.

Initial jobless claims climbed to 482 thousand applications compared to the estimated 440 thousand on the week. Continuing claims fell to 4 point 6 million, a slight dropped from the previous week.

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides insight on the aftermath of Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) earnings. The financial name missed estimates by seven cents, but Oppenheimer upgraded the company to outperform yesterday. We saw the March 15 puts cross roughly 5,000 times, and the February 16-strike and 17-strike calls traded 58,000 and 33,000 times, respectively. BAC has a 30-day historical volatility of roughly 32.5, and the options have an implied volatility of 35, meaning the options are roughly in-line with normal volatility level.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 0.4 point, or more than 2%, to 17.5 on the day Tuesday. The market saw a nice run yesterday, and the VIX continues to hold below the 17-mark.

The Housing Starts report showed 557,000 homes that began construction in December, compared to estimates of 572,000.

The December Producer Price Index (PPI) climbed 0.2% compared to estimates of an unchanged index. Year-over-year, the PPI gained 4.4% compared to estimates of 4.5%.

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle chronicles Capital One Financial’s (NYSE: COF) stock climb on the day Tuesday to $43, or a 5% jump. The company’s earnings are due Thursday after the market closes, and the at-the-money straddle could be bought for $4. Investors who believe the straddle could move more than 10% in the next 31 days could buy the straddle.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which climbed 0.3 point to 17.9 on the day Friday. Despite the drop in the broader market indices, the VIX held below the 18-mark despite gaining roughly two points to 19 at its highest point before the long weekend.

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook revisits an interesting bull ration call spread we saw in Petrobras (NYSE: PBR) on expiration Friday. An investor sold one July 40 call and simultaneously bought two July 45 calls in a very bullish bet that PBR shares could soar higher than $51.20. For more on this trade, refer to Volatility Overlays column: Unusual bullishness in Petrobras (NYSE: PBR).

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 1.2% to 17.6 ahead of options expiration today. The volatility index continues to hover in the 17-range, as investor could be looking for less movement in the market despite economic data.

The CPI report showed a 0.1% climb in December, compared to estimates of a 0.2% rise. Year-over-year, the CPI came in line with estimates at 1.8%.

Yesterday, ONN.tv discussed possible butterfly strategies in Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG), but investors could also employ out-of-the-money bull put spreads for returns. Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle discusses the latest news that investors are focusing on in the Internet giant, and possible strategies that investors could explore days ahead of the company’s earnings announcement on Jan. 21.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped two percent on the day Wednesday to roughly 17.8. Volatility reverted after popping up significantly on Tuesday, suggesting investors continue to look for minimal movement in the market with just two trading sessions left before options expire.

December retail sales came in lower than expected, as the report showed a 0.3% drop compared to estimates of a 0.5% rise. Jobless claims also disappointed, clocking in at 444,000 applications compared to estimates of 437,000 throughout last week.

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) took the spotlight yesterday, and Kevin Cook provides analysis into possible plays on the Internet giant with butterfly spreads.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which climbed more than 4.5% on the day Tuesday. The volatility index remains below the 20-mark, however, and reached 19.5 at its highest point yesterday.

Alcoa (AA) front-month options heated up yesterday, as investor reacted to mixed news on the aluminum company. We saw the company get upgraded and downgraded yesterday, sparking action in the January 17.5 calls and the January 16 puts. We also saw more than 13,000 February 16 calls cross the tape by the end of the day on Tuesday. Levy also directs viewers to an article win which he highlights a bull put spread in the company, and stay tuned to his reports to see how that trade performs following the earnings report.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover another straight day of decline in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The volatility index dropped more than 3%, or 0.5 point, to 17.5 on the day Monday. The VIX seems to shrug off the fact that options expiration is days away, and investors who expect the market to continue to make minimal moves could sell straddles to express that bet.

The international trade report showed a $36.4 billion decline compared to consensus estimates of a $34.6 billion drop.

ONN.tv Senior Derivates Specialist Jared Levy provides insight on a near-term call buyer expressing bullishness in technology company Intel (NASDAQ: INTC). INTC shares closed up roughly 12 cents to $20.95, and at least one investor called for further upside in the stock throughout the next month. The February 23 calls traded more than 12,000 times yesterday versus open interest of 2,296 contracts. Bullish investors who bought these calls expect the stock to climb higher than $23.15 by February expiration, if they decide to hold on to these options. Remember, if INTC shares pop up significantly, the investor could choose to sell these calls and take profits. Tune into ONN.tv for the latest on INTC earnings figures on Thursday.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover another straight day of decline in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The volatility index closed on Friday below 19, down 0.9 point on the day, despite the worse-than-expected non-farm payrolls report. The market could be expecting greater moves in the VIX as options expiration approaches on Friday.

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle discussed the decline in market volatility despite earnings season upon us. The at-the-money February 45 straddle in J.P. Morgan (JPM) is priced at $3.50 and shows how much implied volatility has come relative to the year-ago period. Investors who expect JPM to move violently up or down on earnings could consider buying this straddle, and calling for greater moves in volatility.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

The unemployment rate came in line with consensus estimates at 10% in December. The employment report showed an unchanged level from November. Nonfarm payrolls dropped by 85,000, compared to expectations of a flat report.

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook looks into SPY straddles and increasing volatility. Cook analyzes two graphs and explains profit potential as volatility fluctuates.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped for another straight day to 19.2. The volatility index hovered below the 19-mark for the majority of the day, but economic data due out tomorrow on the employment rate could make larger moves throughout the market.

Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle reiterates ONN.tv’s stance on a range-bound market in 2010. However, with the collapse in front month volatility, for those investors who are looking for a move from the market with the unemployment data tomorow, Pyle describes a short-dated straddle where the investor buys the January 113 straddle for $2.40. This trade needs the stock to be lower than $110.60 or higher than $115.40 to the upside at January expiration. Will this $2.40-move in the SPY take place? Tune in at the end of the next week to find out.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 0.7 point to 19.3. The volatility index remained well-below the 20-mark despite a worse than expected pending home sales report that resulted in an unchanged market Tuesday. Stay tuned to ONN.tv to find out how the VIX performs after this week’s economic data.

Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared levy provides insight into a very bullish put sale out of the gate yesterday in Electronic Arts (Nasdaq:ERTS). An investor sold the February 19 puts 5,000 times during yesterday’s morning session, calling for limited downside in ERTS. This in-the-money trade suggests at least one investor expects upside in the company throughout the next month.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the declining CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The VIX dropped 1.5 points to just higher than the 20-mark, suggesting broader market expectations for a quiet year could come true. It is typical to see the VIX drop on rallying days, but we’ll keep you updated on how far the VIX drops and more signs of a bull market.

Market Analyst Kevin Cook puts natural gas names Chesapeake (CHK) and Plains Exploration & Production (PXP) head to head and provides investment perspective for option traders.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which saw a significant pop-up on the final day of 2009. The volatility index gained nearly two points to 21.6 after closing below the 20-mark for the entire week prior. The new year could bring on new levels of volatility to expect.

And for those traders looking for new things to watch for in 2010, Jud Pyle provides insight into predictions for the new year.

Manufacturing figures on the market are due out at 10 a.m. EST this morning, so tune back into ONN.tv’s Sidewinder report to find out the latest economic data and how indices respond to the report.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which remained below the 20-mark for another straight day. The VIX declined roughly 1% on the day. We have a relatively light week ahead of the New Year, and ONN.tv will bring you the latest on economic figures.

How Low Is Volatility?

“ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook takes a closer look at the VIX and the actual volatility of the S&P 500.”

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 0.3 point to 19.5 on the day Thursday. Investors seem to maintain the good mood as the market edges up going into this morning’s trading session. We have a relatively light week ahead of the New Year, and ONN.tv will bring you the latest on economic figures.

S&P 500 Curve, Market Moves

What happens to the S&P 500 curve as 2010 approaches? Tune into Jared Levy’s analysis on market moves, and what investors should look out for before clinking glasses to celebrate the New Year.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which popped up slightly to 19.7 on the day Wednesday.

Economic data on Christmas Eve was relatively mixed, with November durable goods orders climbing 0.2%, less than market estimates of 0.5%. Jobless claims applications came in at 427,000, compared to the expected 450,000.

Implied Volatility expands in Aetna

Aetna (AET) has not announce an earnings release date, but the market expects the quarterly report sometime around Feb. 11, and at least one investor is looking for further upside immediately after. We saw several investors buy the February 36 calls for a premium of $1.30. These options crossed the tape 14,500 times versus open interest of just 336 contracts. It’s interesting we’re seeing bullish investors call for further upside, since AET shares are trading just off their 52-week high of $34.91 (the shares closed at $33.80 yesterday). Implied volatility in the later-dated series climbed to 38, compared to a 30-day historical volatility of 32%.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which saw a 4% drop to 19.5 on the day Tuesday. Will the VIX remain lower than the 20-level throughout the holidays? Stay tuned to ONN.tv for the latest volatility index updates.

Personal income and personal spending came in lower than expected for November. Personal incomes rose 0.4%, compared to expectations of 0.5%, while spending climbed 0.5% compared to estimates of 0.7%.

Big Call Buyer in CF Industries

CF Industries (CF) continues to be the center of take-over chatter, as the company rejected a revised offer from Agrium (AGU) on Monday. CF closed up roughly 85 cents to $86.38, edging up toward its 52-week high of $95.13. We saw heavy call buying in the May 105-strike, as more than 10,000 of these options hit the tape versus open interest of just 238 contracts. This indicates investors bought these options to open. Throughout the later-dated term, at least one investor is looking for a significant pop in the stock to reach higher than $105 at May expiration.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped another point to 20.5 on the day Monday. As investors expect a year-end rally, we could see the volatility index continue to drop throughout the rest of the year.

Strangle Seller in Life Technologies

Investors expecting less volatility throughout the rest of the year sold later-dated strangles in Life Technologies (LIFE) yesterday, calling for the stock to experience range-bound movement. The investor sold the February 50/55 strangle 5,000 times on the day, and called for a trading range between roughly $46.90 and $58.10. LIFE could announce earnings sometime around Feb. 9, and at least one investor is looking for less movement in the stock immediately after the earnings report.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which took on breather and dropped 0.8 point to 21.7 on Triple Witching and single stock futures expiry. The VIX climbed one point on the week.

MOO v. DBA

Agricultural trends in the market are in the spotlight, and ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides insight on how these ETFs differ in exposure. For additional perspective, read Cook’s Buy and Trade article.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the 10% climb in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). Triple witching and single stock futures expiration happens at the close today, and investors could see even more movement in the VIX intraday.

Long-term Buying Actions in CVS

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides insight into a big call buyer in CVS Caremark (CVS). One investor expressed bullishness all the way out to the January 2012 series, and bought 24,000 of these options outright. CVS has had a nice run throughout the last year, and experienced a downgrade in November, but at least one investor is calling for a significant pop up in the stock throughout the next two years. LEAPS strategies account for more volatility, but less time decay.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which declined roughly one point to 20.5 on the day Wednesday.

Jobless claims clocked in at 480,000 applications, compared to market estimates of 465,000 for the month of November. Continuing claims remained flat on the month at 5.2 million.

A Focus on December Expiration

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle provides perspective on broader market trends ahead of December expiration tomorrow. This was a full economic data week, and negative news out of financial names coupled with a stronger dollar could mean investors expressing moderately bullish bets with spread trades.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which climbed nearly 3% to 21.7 following an unexpected climb in November’s PPI report. The VIX could continue to move as expiration Friday appears.

Consumer prices climbed 0.4% in November, which was in line with analysts’ estimates. Last month’s housing starts also came in line with expectations, as we saw 574,000 new homes.

A Bullish Call on Macy’s

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy highlights bullish activity in retailer Macy’s (M), as the company’s shares dropped 55 cents on the day to $16.93. Out of the gate on Tuesday, an investor bought more than 20,000 January 20 calls, which closed down two cents. The investor is looking for further upside in the stock throughout the next month, but keep in mind that if M shares spike before January expiration, the investor could choose to take profits and sell off the calls.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which declined 2% on the day as the S&P 500 saw a new closing high for the year.

The Producer Price index (PPI) climbed 1.8% in November, compared to estimates of a 0.8% rise.

Volatility Skew v. Volatility Curve

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook explains the difference between skew and curve in volatility, and how traders can take advantage of the concepts in options trading.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which declined 3% to 21.5 on Friday as the market moved slightly higher.

Citigroup is in the news this morning after the bank said it would repay $20 billion of TARP funds.

Citigroup (C) to Repay $20 Billion

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle looks at Citigroup, which, together with the US Treasury, announced that Citigroup will be allowed to repay $20 billion of the TARP funds that the bank received. The government also said they would begin slowly selling their shares that represent over a 30% ownership in the bank. Citigroup is going to sell stock amounting to $17 billion.

That amount of stock issuance will result in dilution to existing stock holders. Add the fact that the government will be slowly selling stock for months to come, and we could see a lid on the stock. But if you are bullish on the economy, that could result in Citigroup earning more money, which should provide a floor. All in all, the volatility of Citigroup might be poised to go lower.

How can you take advantage of this backdrop? By selling an iron condor. Looking at the June series, investors can currently sell the June 4-5 strangle for 80 cents, and buy the June 1-7 strangle for 10 cents. Net net, that is a credit of 70 cents compared to a maximum loss of $2.30. This translates to an implied volatility of approximately 48. So if you think that C will stay between $3.30 and $5.70 for the next six months, the iron condor might be a trade for you.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which declined 0.3 point to 22.3 on the day Thursday. The modest gains in the broader market resulted in another breather for the implied volatility index.

November retail sales climbed 1.3% percent compared to expectations of a 0.6% rise.

Call Sellers Surface on Teck Resources Revision

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy reviews a coal production revision from Teck Resources (TCK), in which the company expects 23.5 million to 25 million tons of coal throughout 2010. The company is also planning for additional production increases in 2011 and 2012. This news instigated heavy call selling activity, as the January 40 calls traded more than 26,000 times on Thursday versus open interest of 28,000 contracts. The calls closed up 10 cents, and TCk shares climbed to approximately $35.50 on the day. The stock is way up from its March low of $3.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which took a breather following straight days in the green. The VIX dropped 4% to 22.7 after reaching the 24-mark yesterday morning.

Jobless claims last week came in at 474,000 applications, higher than analyst estimates of 455,000. Continuing claims dropped to 5.2 million from 5.5 million.

Strategies Betting on the Fate of the Dollar

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle remarks on the recent commodity boom lasting roughly one week. Gold miners, however, missed that boat and have been taking it on the chin – until yesterday. Pyle reminds viewers that the rally in the dollar could be short-lived following the Dubai news, which provides one reason why investors could buy the dips in this sector. One idea is a bull put spread in Barrick Gold (ABX), where investors could sell the January 40-30 put spread to collect a premium of $1.90 on a bet that the stock will not be below $38.10 at January expiration. If implied volatility is in demand due to the recent slide in this stock, an opportunity could arise.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which climbed more than 7% on the day Tuesday to 23.7. We could see implied volatility make more moves following jobs and retail data due out Thursday and Friday.

Kroger, McDonald’s Gap Down on Consumer Strength Doubts

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Strategist Jared Levy provides insight into Kroger (KR) and McDonald’s (MCD) options activity in the wake of earnings season. In Kroger, we saw an investor buy 15,000 January 2011 20 calls for $2.50 following the company’s worse-than-expected earnings before the market opened yesterday. The grocery company’s shares closed down 12% to $20.12.

Turning to MCD, the fast-food name could announce earnings sometime around Jan. 26, and the shares closed down $1.44, or more than 2%, to $60.49. The gap down in MCD started after the company posted a fractional increase in its global comparable sales for November. These statistics beg the question: Is the consumer not as strong as the market thought?

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which popped up slightly to 22.1. Implied volatility traded in a tight range on Monday, dropping only to 21.6 and reaching the 22.3-mark. Investors might not be expecting as much movement in the VIX in the near-term.

First Solar Receives an Upgrade to Boost Solar Sector?

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook analyzes good news out of First Solar (FSLR) which could help boost solar stocks to close the trading gap. A Barclays Capital analyst raised the 2010 demand forecast for the solar sector, which sent FSLR up 4% to $135 on the day. Cook predicts that the January strikes will continue to build as the gap gets filled on renewed optimism in the solar space.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the 5.3% drop in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). Following the slight rally on the day Friday, the VIX closed the day at 21.3, down 1.2 points on the day.

A Rational Market Moves Materials

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategies Jud Pyle explains the interesting moves we saw in the market on Friday. As the dollar weakens, commodity stocks will support that market. On Friday, we saw Potash (POT), Occidental (OXY) and Cliff Natural Resources (CLF) provide that support. Pyle also suggests bull put spreads on these names for those investors who believe the dollar will see other slides in the long-term.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the 3.5% drop in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The VIX popped up 6%, or 1.3 points, to 22.5 after hovering around 21.3 intraday Thursday. The market closed in the red, and implied volatility spiked as the market sold off during the last hour of the trading day.

A Look at S&P 500 Straddles

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides market and volatility perspective by taking a look at the S&P 500 straddle. Stay tuned to ONN.tv for more insight into today’s economic data and what traders and investors could be expecting out of volatility in the near-term.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the 3.5% drop in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX). The VIX declined to 21.1, as investors continue to shrug off economic concerns from the beginning of the week.

Bull Synthetic Trends in Options Market

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle analyzes examples of bull synthetic trends in the market through option trades in Supervalu (SVU), Accenture (ACN) and Caterpillar (CAT). Investors who are going long calls and shorting puts in these names are looking to benefit from a continued rally in the stocks. Investors could be on the look out for “smart money” to get in on, Pyle explains.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the
CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which dropped 10% on the day Tuesday to 22.1. Implied volatility could continue to decline as debt concerns out of Dubai drop off investors’ radar.

Bank of America Option Trades

ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Strategist Jared Levy provides analysis on two  trades in Bank of America (BAC). Levy looks at selling 20,000 May 20 calls for 75 cents per contract with the stock trading around $16. He also saw the 15-strike puts in February and May trade 15,000 times each, which could indicate a time spread.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the
CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which was unable to hold higher than the 25-level as the broader market managed modest gains.

Calling for Market Moves With Straddle Pricing

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook talks volatility, and how investors can employ at-the-money straddles to call for market moves. Tune in to learn how to price market movements using the implied volatility index and at-the-money-straddles.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX), which charged more than 20% higher on Friday and closed up 12% for the week.

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle looks at the week ahead, which includes continued Dubai concerns and Friday’s employment report. Jud explains why ONN thinks a little bit of inflation might be good news for stocks.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to www.ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the www.ONN.tv team cover the flat
CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) at the close on Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday. Implied volatility held around 20.5, and dropped way down below 20 intraday before we left on Wednesday.

Volatility For This Holiday Season

ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides insight into the significance of the VIX and how volatility can affect your trading throughout the end of the year.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover durable goods, personal income and jobless claims figures. Durable goods dropped 0.6% compared to estimates of 0.5%, personal income climbed 0.2%, and jobless claims beat estimates by 0.1%.

The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) dropped a fraction of a point, which equates to 3.5%, on the day Tuesday to 20.5 most likely because of the slow trading day. Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for updates on economic data throughout the week.

A Calm SPX Spurs Options Action in Commodities

Market Analyst Kevin Cook provides insight on the slow trading day Tuesday, as the SPY saw less than 110 million contracts of volume throughout the day. However, large blocks of trades occurred in Newmont Mining (NEM), Barrick Gold (ABX), Freeport-McMoRan (FCX), Deere (DE) and Chesapeake (CHK). Stay tuned to learn how the options volume suggests the mood of traders just ahead of Thanksgiving Day.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover last month’s GDP, which came in at +2.8% compared to consensus estimates of +3.2%. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) closed down more than one point, or 4.6%, to 21.2 on Monday, suggesting investors could be expecting implied volatility to continue to calm going into the holidays. Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for updates on economic data throughout the week.

Focus Media Puts in the Spotlight

Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy provides insight on heavy volume in Focus Media (FMCN) options that crossed the tape on Monday. The April 5 puts traded 28,000 times yesterday, and most of the action was on the buy-side. Buyers boosted the price of these puts up 13 cents on the day. Normal daily options volume in FMCN is usually roughly 6,000 contracts, but more than 30,000 contracts hit the tape across all strikes. The market expects to see earnings figures from FMCN on Nov. 30 after the market closes. ONN.tv will keep you up to date on the earnings news, which could have catalyzed this investor hedging a long position in FMCN stock by buying later-dated puts.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover implied volatility levels after November expiration. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) closed down 0.3 point to 22.3 on Friday, suggesting decreasing concern among investors for more movement in stocks. The VIX dropped one point on the week. Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for updates on the Existing Home Sales report due at 10 a.m. today.

A Weekly Look at S&P 500 Futures

Kevin Cook looks at the calm before the holidays, exhibited by the S%P 500 futures chart. Cook says options volatility pricing will most likely lay-low during the next four weeks, as investors prepare for calmer times during the holiday season.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover interesting options action Smith International. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) popped up one point to 22.6. Expiration Friday could boost implied volatility as investors adjust positions. Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for continued updates on implied volatility, especially with options expiration coming up at the close today.

Strangle Seller in Smith International

During the last hour of trading yesterday, an investor sold 7,500 April 33-23 strangles for around $2.77 and also bought 5,000 April 27 calls for $3.20. SII shares closed down 81 cents to $26.77. The investor will make money if SII shares expire between $23 and $27. It looks like investors are looking for a range in the stock, which is a plausible idea considering the run in the shares.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the rise in jobless claims since last week. Jobless claim applications came in at 505,000 compared to estimates of 504,000. Applications climbed by 3,000 since last week. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) declined another o.5 point to 21.8 as we edge closer to November options expiration. Investors might not be expecting significant moves in the market throughout the next couple days. Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for continued updates on implied volatility, especially with options expiration coming up at the end of this week.

Last Minute Verisign Call Action

During the last 30 minutes of trading, an investor traded more than 11,000 November 23 calls in Verisign (VRSN). The action suggested buyers, because the stock remained higher at the time the calls traded. It looks like the investor is expecting a pop up in the stock during the next day or so, but the motivation remains unclear.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover October’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), which came in at 0.2%, higher than expectations of 0.1%. Also, housing starts for the month of October dropped to 552,000 compared to estimates of 580,000. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) declined 0.5 point to 22.3 as the broader market rallied. Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for continued updates on implied volatility, especially with options expiration coming up at the end of this week.

Call Action in Ann Taylor

Several retailers have announced earnings figures recently, and Ann Taylor (ANN) is due to announce earnings on Friday. It’s interesting that we saw at least one investor trade front-month out-of-the-money calls looking for further upside in the name. The November 15 calls traded 12,800 times for around 30 cents each, and we saw implied volatility in this name spike to 18%. ANN shares closed down 45 cents to around $13.55.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover October’s Producer Price Index (PPI), which came in lower than expectations at 0.3% compared to estimates of 0.5%. The broader market rallied on Monday, and the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) dropped 0.5 point to 22.9. Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for continued updates on implied volatility, especially with options expiration coming up at the end of this week.

Amazon, Home Depot Call Selling

The VIX declined Monday along with implied volatility of stocks, thanks to call sellers in names like AMZN and HD. An investor sold more than 6,000 AMZN April 160 calls, possibly because he was long shares and believes upside in the Internet retailer is limited for the near-term. In addition, an investor sold more than 7,000 HD February 28 calls. That pushed implied volatility in this option down on the day.

ONN.tv airs a new episode of Street Smarts today, as Kevin Cook interviews David Hightower on messages from the S&P 500.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover October retail sales, which … The market closed with a rally on Friday, and the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) dropped 0.8 point to 23.3. Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for continued updates on implied volatility, especially with options expiration coming up at the end of this week.

November Straddle Points in the SPY

Looking at a CME S&P 500 Weekly Futures chart, Kevin Cook gives insight into pricing of the November straddles and moves this week.

www.ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook analyzes options action in the SPY November straddles.

Kevin Cook also offers a FX Overnight update ahead of the opening bell.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team cover the expansion of the international trade gap last month. Analysts expected the gap to expand to around $32 billion, but it climbed to $36 billion. Despite the rally in the market Thursday, the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) popped up another point to 24.Be sure to stay tuned to ONN.tv for continued updates on implied volatility, especially with expiration at the end of next week.

CVS Caremark Call Action

www.ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy analyses options volume that accumulated Thursday in several call series. The December 30 calls traded 5,600 times for around $1.15, the December 39 calls hit the tape 4,100 times for around five cents per contract, the November 30 calls traded 8,700 times for around 40 cents and the May 34 calls accumulated 5,700 contracts for around $1.25. It looked like both buying and selling action in these strikes, even after we saw an investor sell the December 30 straddle last week calling for limited movement in the stock. CVS shares dropped 33 cents on the day to $29.67.

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team report a drop in jobless claims throughout last week to 502,000 initial claims. Despite the rally in the market, the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) popped up to 23.

Risk Reversal in EMC

www.ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy analyzes a risk reversal put on by a moderately bearish investor on EMC (EMC). The investor bought the risk reversal 20,000 times and sold the January 2010 17.5 calls to buy the January 2010 17.5 puts for 35 cents per spread. The stock was trading at $17.20 per share at the time of this trade. More than 21,600 January 17.5 calls changed hands versus open interest of 33,000, and 20,900 of the January 17.5 puts crossed the tape versus open interest of 9,256. EMC and Cisco publicly announced plans for a joint venture, and ONN.tv will keep you up to date on interesting options activity as the joint venture plans continue.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series today at 12 p.m. EST for a live sessions on butterfly spreads. Jared Levy will be on hand to answer questions and show strategies in real-time. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.ONN.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team look at implied volatility levels after a flat-market day, as the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) dropped 0.5% to 24. We could see greater volatility swings to end the week with jobless claims and consumer sentiment due out during the next two days.

XLF’s Pull Back Tuesday Sparks Protection Purchase

www.ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy reviews option activity in the Financial Sector ETF (XLF). The XLF has come under the market spotlight with the 10th anniversary of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act upon us, which many players blamed for banks and wirehouses failing. The XLF has rallied 138% since it’s March lows of around $6, but at least one investor is purchasing downside protection on the ETF. An investor bought 40,000 June 12 puts for 75 cents versus open interest of 2,855 contracts, indicating that the trade opened the positions. XLF shares dropped slightly on the flat-market day, and underperformed the S&P 500 on Tuesday, but showed fresh session highs on Monday. Keep your eyes on the XLF with ONN.tv, as an indicator of confidence in the banking industry’s strength after its demise last year.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series tooday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Tune in for an in-depth look at the Butterfly Spread strategy and learn how to best use these limited-risk strategies that look for limited movement in the underlying. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.ONN.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the www.ONN.tv team look at Tuesday’s pre-market price action in the broader market. Economic data is minimal today, but ONN.tv is your place for jobless claims and consumer sentiment data due out at the end of the week. In pre-market trading, stock futures are edging down after yesterday’s big run-up.

At the close Monday, the Dow rallied 203 points to 10,227 and the S&P 500 gained 24 points to 1,093. The rally brought the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) way down to 22.8 intraday, but implied volatility creep back up to close around 23.3., or down 4% on the day Monday.

Apple’s Rally is the Apple of Some Option Traders’ Eyes

www.ONN.tv Senior Derivatives Specialist Jared Levy reviews option activity in Apple Inc. (AAPL). AAPL participated in Monday’s rally, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached its highest level since October 2008. Investors seemed to change their risk profiles as the stock climbed. In Options Land, we saw the November 210/220 call spread trade more than 3,300 times yesterday for around 50 cents per spread. About 31,000 November 210 calls traded, and 18,500 November 220 calls traded in the computer giant. AAPL closed up 3.5% to higher than $201.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Tune in for an in-depth look at the Butterfly Spread strategy and learn how to best use these limited-risk strategies that look for limited movement in the underlying. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.ONN.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the www.ONN.tv team look at Monday’s pre-market price action in the broader market. Ahead of the opening bell this morning, S&P 500 futures are skyrocketing, up more than 10 points, to 1,076 as the market could continue its week-long rally going into today’s open.

At the close Friday, the Dow rallied 17 points to 10,023 and the S&P 500 gained just three points to 1,069. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) dropped one point to 24,2.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up 10.25 to 1,076. Overseas, Hong Kong gained and Europe are up 1.7% the morning.

Options Action in CVS Caremark

www.ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle reviews option activity in CVS Caremark (CVS). CVS announced earnings last week, and lowered its guidance for the pharmacy benefit business. An investor sold the December 30 straddle 5,500 times and collected $2.81 per straddle. This investor is banking on little volatility in CVS throughout the next month, and will make maximum profit if the stock closes exactly at $30 at December expiration.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series this Wednesday 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Tune in for an in-depth look at the Butterfly Spread strategy and learn how to best use these limited-risk strategies that look for limited movement in the underlying. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.ONN.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team look at Friday’s pre-market price action in the broader market. The monthly employment report hit newswires this morning, showing a drop of 190,000 nonfarm payrolls, a wider decline than the 175,000 decline expected by analysts.

The unemployment rate was similarly worse than expected, coming in at 10.2%. Nonfarm payrolls for September were revised higher, however, showing a decline of 219,000, from the previously reported drop of 263,000.

At the close Thursday, the Dow jumped 204 points to 10,006 and the S&P 500 rallied almost 20 points to 1,066. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) lost 8% to 25.46.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up 2.7 points to 1,065. Overseas, Hong Kong gained 1.6% on the day and European indices have rallied about 0.5%.

Unusual Option Trading in State Street, Archer Daniels

www.ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook reviews option activity in State Street (STT) and Archer-Daniels Midland (STT). The former saw investors buying the December 46/50 call spread 10,000 times for 70 cents. The stock has recently endured a sharp pullback, which may be inspiring this bullish spread, as investors wonder if STT is in an oversold condition.

Meanwhile, an investor bought 9,000 March 35/40 call spreads in ADM and sold 9,000 March 27 puts. This bullish options play in the shares was done for about 35 cents. On Tuesday, ADM reported better-than-expected earnings of 77 cents per share.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series next Wednesday afternoon a t 4:30 Eastern Time. Tune in for an in-depth look at the Butterfly Spread strategy and learn how to best use these limited-risk strategies that look for limited movement in the underlying. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.ONN.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team look at Thursday’s pre-market price action in the broader market. Futures have inched higher after jobless claims topped estimates by 10,000. Additionally, nonfarm productivity rose 9.5% in the third quarter, smashing expectations of 6.5% and posting the largest gain since the third quarter of 2003.

At the close Wednesday, the Dow rose 30 points to 9,802 and the S&P 500 edged up one point to 1,046. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) lost 3% to 27.94.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up 1.2 points to 1,048. Overseas, Hong Kong lost 0.6% on the day and European indices have shed about 0.3%.

Call Selling in Cognizant

www.ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle looks at yesterday’s option activity in Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH). As the stock was bouncing around a 52-week high yesterday, call sellers came out of the woodwork. Part of the motivation for this call selling could be an investor who is long stock, and is turning it into a buy write. So this is not an aggressively bearish play, but rather an investor who thinks that in the near term, the upside in the shares could be limited.

The call that saw the most volume on Wednesday was the December 42.5 calls. More than 5,200 of those options traded, with the bulk of the volume occurring when the stock was near 42.90 around midday. The price was near 2.30, which computed to an implied volatility of 34.5. By the end of the day, market makers had lowered the implieds so much that the options actually fell by 15 cents to 1.75, despite the stock falling only a dime to $41.87.

CTSH has experienced a decent run since Xerox announced the acquisition of Affiliated computer services, which provides IT consulting services similar Cognizant. That run was capped off by a better-than 8% jump on Tuesday following the quarterly earnings release. That kind of a jump and a bet on declining volatility now that earnings have passed combined for the ultimate motivating factors for this call sale.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series today at noon ET. Join Jared and Jud during the live market to find out what the Santa Claus Rally and the January effect can mean for option traders, as well as ways to get ahead of tax season. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.ONN.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team look at Wednesday’s pre-market price action in the broader market. Futures are trading higher as Wall Street awaits the result of this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The ADP employment report showed a drop of 203,000 private-sector jobs in October, slightly below expectations. On the plus side, this was the fewest jobs lost since July 2008. This report is regarded as a preview of Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report.

At the close Tuesday, the Dow lost 17.5 points to 9,772 and the S&P 500 rose 2.5 points. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) lost 1.0 to 28.81.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up 5.3 points to 1,047. Overseas, Hong Kong gained 1.7% on the day and European indices have gained about 1%.

In-the-Money Calls Active in Transocean

www.ONN.tv Market Analyst Kevin Cook looks at yesterday’s pre-earnings options action in Transocean (RIG. More than 15,000 contracts traded on the February 70-strike call yesterday, hitting the tape in two large blocks and trading at an average price of $18.525. Open interest heading into yesterday’s session stood at just 364 contracts.

The calls ended the day up $1.85 with the stock itself up $1.24, as implied volatility shifted the call prices higher. Implied volatility has been subdued for the past two-and-a-half months, staying below the 40 level, but has climbed above 45 during the past week, hitting 50 for deep-in-the-money options on Tuesday.

It is interesting to see this deep call buying a day ahead of earnings. This may have been a “stock replacement strategy,” where the investor is selling the shares in exchange for a call position, hoping to get lower-risk long exposure to RIG.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series today at 4:30 p.m. ET. Find out what the Santa Claus Rally and the January effect can mean for option traders, as well as ways to get ahead of tax season. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.ONN.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team look at Tuesday’s pre-market price action in the broader market. Futures are sharply lower, as Australia’s central bank lifted rates for the second time in two months. European banking names are trending lower as well, putting pressure on the world’s markets.

At the close Monday, the Dow gained 76 points to 9,789 and the S&P 500 fell 6.7 points. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) lost 0.9, remaining fairly elevated at 29.81.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are down 7.5 points to 1,031.70, as the market is reacting to developments in other corners of the globe. Overseas, Hong Kong lost 1.7% on the day and European indices are lower across the board, down an average of nearly 2%.

Trading the December Collar in HES

www.ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle analyzes behavior in the Hess Corp. (HES, which saw some notable options activity on Monday in a collar trade. An investor appears to have sold off the potential upside returns in the shares in order to decrease the cost of downside protection.

The investor sold the out-of-the-money December 65 calls and bought the out-of-the-money December 50 puts. Specifically, the investor sold 1.5 calls for every 1 put purchased, selling 9,000 of the 65-strike calls while purchasing only 6,000 of the 50-strike puts. This trade crossed the tape around 1:30 PM Eastern Time. Based on the trade data at that time, the calls were sold for 60 cents, and the investor bought the puts for $1.75. That means the net cost of this trade to the investor was 55 cents.

HES did not announce any news of note yesterday, and the company announced earnings before the open last Wednesday, so it is not as though this report is looming as a catalyst. But the shares are down more than 10% from their near-term highs in October. Remember, this could be an investor who is long the shares. The investor could just be hedging that position, which would mean this investor makes the most money if the stock rallies because they are long the shares against the collar.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. ET. Learn how the holiday season affects trading in the options world, and how to make the trends work for you. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.ONN.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the www.ONN.tv team look at Monday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by rising futures. After a sharp pullback on Friday, the markets appear poised for a bounce higher.

At the close Friday, the Dow lost 250 points to 2,718 and the S&P 500 fell 30 points. The CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX) rallied six points to 30.69, gaining more than 35% during the week.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up nearly five points to 1,038, as the market is looking to capture some gains after Friday’s market weakness. Overseas, Japan closed down 2.3% and Hong Kong lost 0.6% on the day. European indices are mixed in midday action.

Implied Volatility Spikes as Market Plunges

www.ONN.tv Chief Investment Strategist Jud Pyle analyzes behavior in the CBOE SPX Volatility Index (VIX, which jumped 24% in Friday’s session and hurdled to 30 level. At this point, the index’s new 52-week low of 20.69 – hit on October 22nd – is but a distant memory. There are dozens of ways to analyze the VIX behavior, but one way to quantify increased volatility is by looking at the pricing for front-month, at-the-money straddles on the S&P Depositary Receipts (SPY – the Spyders ETF. Last Friday, October 23rd, the 108-strike straddle closed at $4.66. By the close on October 30th, the 104-strike straddle was priced at $5.33, or 5.13% of strike. So for a straddle with one full week less until expiration, the straddle has still managed to rise by 67 cents, or more than 14%.

Now remember, for the past few months, when the VIX has hit the high end of a trading range, such as the 30 level, it has proceeded to sell off, and being long the market by being short put spreads has been a successful strategy. Remember that sometimes strange things happen at month end. This first week of November will tell us a lot if this recent volatility pop is a short-lived phenomenon, or a new elevated level of premiums.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series this week on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. EST. Learn how the holiday season affects trading in the options world, and how to make the trends work for you. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team look at Friday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by a last month’s Personal Income Report, which was flat for the month, matching analysts’ estimates. Personal spending dropped half a percent in September, also matching expectations on Wall Street.

At the close Thursday, the Dow rallied 200 points to 9,962 and the S&P 500 gained 23 points to 1,066. The huge rallying day in the market yesterday crushed the VIX, which closed down 10% to the 25-level.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are down 3.7 points to 1,058. Hong Kong closed up 2.3% and the London market was fractionally higher.

Options on Bank, Gold ETFs

ONN.tv market analyst Kevin Cook analyzes Barrick Gold (ABX and Newmont (NEM earnings figures and the subsequent ripple through the commodities sector. Analysts with JP Morgan (JPM) say the Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX could be a safer way to own mining stocks.

In other news from the metals sector, Agnico-Eagle Mines (AEM saw 6,000 November 55 puts trade and Freeport-McMoRan (FCX saw 7,700 January 2010 90 calls trade. Meanwhile the SPDR KBW Bank (KBE saw unusual activity, with 10,000 December 20 puts hitting the tape.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series next week on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. EST. Learn how the holiday season affects trading in the options world, and how to make the trends work for you. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team look at Thursday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by a better-than-expected GDP improvement last quarter, but a slightly worse-than-expected jobless claims report. GDP climbed 3.5%, compared to expectations of a 3.2% improvement, while jobless claims missed by about 5,000 applications.

At the close Wednesday, the Dow dropped 120 points to 9,763 and the S&P 500 dropped 21 points to 1,042. The down-market day sent the VIX up 12%, expressing recovery fears among investors.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up 3.5 to 1,042. Hong Kong is down 2.3% and Europe is down 0.25%.

Put Selling in Gerdau S.A.

Gerdau S.A. (GGB), the Brazilian steel giant, saw its stock drop more than 8% yesterday despite heavy volume of more than 14 million shares, but at least one investor expressed moderate bullishness by selling puts. Approximately 6,000 June 15 puts traded yesterday with GGB shares trading at $15. Investors sold these puts for around $2.30 – meaning the break-even on this trade is $12.70. Moderately bullish investors could have put on this play to dip their toes in the pool and call a floor in this stock.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series today at 12 p.m. EST, in the live markets. Join the ONN.tv experts and learn how to apply volatility swing strategies in real-time . Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team look at Wednesday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by a better-than-expected Durable Goods Orders report, and unchanged futures. Durable goods orders climbed 0.9%, compared to estimates of 0.7%.

At the close Tuesday, the Dow gained 14 points to 9,882 and the S&P 500 dropped four points to 1,063. The mixed market sent the VIX up 0.5 point to 24.8.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are down six points to 1,054. Hong Kong and Europe are down 1.8%.

Put Buying in Nabor Industries.

Investors expressed bearishness in Nabor Industries (NBR) and bought a significant amount of puts to protect against downside in the stock. We saw more than 5,000 June 21 strike puts change hands, and more than 12,000 June 22 puts cross the tape, as investors traded these options to open. The June 21 puts closed up three cents on the day, despite NBR shares closing up 50 cents to $22.42 Tuesday night. The June 22 puts also rose more than their delta would suggest, indicating put buying and bearishness in the oil and gas drilling name.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series today at 4:30 p.m. EST. Learn how you can make volatility swings work for you with Jared Levy and Jud Pyle. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team look at Tuesday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by futures edging up ahead of the consumer sentiment report that should show a slight improvement throughout September.

At the close Monday, the Dow dropped 104 points to 9,867, and the S&P 500 closed down 13 points to 1,067. The VIX popped climbed 10% to 24.5 on the down-market day, reaching its early-October levels.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up 1.25 to 1,068. Hong Kong is up 1.8% and Europe is up 0.5%.

Betting on More Movement in Merck & Co.

Healthcare name Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) could see more movement to the upside during the next month; at least one investor is betting on it. The investor rolled a long position, selling to close 11,000 November 34 calls to buy the same number of December 34 calls. The investor paid 30 cents for this trade. MRK shares are trading 52% higher than their March lows of $20.99, and at least one investor is looking for further upside from yesterday’s close at $32.03.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. EST. Learn how you can make volatility swings work for you with Jared Levy and Jud Pyle. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team look at Monday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by futures edging up despite Friday’s sell-off.

At the close Friday, the Dow dropped 109 points to 9,972, and the S&P 500 closed down 13 points to 1,079. The VIX popped up 8% on the down-market day, suggesting investors expect way more movement throughout the remainder of earnings season.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up 1.5 points to 1,078. Hong Kong is up 1.7% and Europe is up 0.1%.

Bullish Call Buyers Bank of Dollar Drop

Mining name Teck Resources (TCK) saw heavy call buying action as investors turn bullish on commodity stocks. An investor bought the January 40 calls 17,000 times with the stock trading at $33.48 a share. TCK is due to announce earnings per share figures on Wednesday, and consensus estimates expect 47 cents a share out of the company’s report. Tying in this call buying action with the bullishness we saw in Barrick Gold (ABX) last week, we can see gold pushing higher as the dollar drops. As a result, the Australian dollar (Australia’s federal reserve bank continues to raise interest rates on signs of recovery) is the prime beneficiary. Kevin Cook, market analyst at ONN.tv, also explains a carry trade on the CME Australian dollar.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series this Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. EST. Learn how you can make volatility swings work for you with Jared Levy and Jud Pyle. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Karla Yeh and the ONN.tv team look at Friday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by stock index futures edging up following way-better-than-expected earnings figures from Amazon (AMZN). The company beat expectations by 15 cents EPS.

At the close Thursday, the Dow rallied 132 points to 10,081, and the S&P 500 gained 11 points to 1,092 The VIX popped up 0.7 point to 21.7, showing investors figuring out how to take good market news with the bad.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up 1.5 points to 1,092. Hong Kong is up 1.7% and Europe is up 1.5%.

Bullish Call Buyers Hope to Strike Gold in Barrick Gold

Barrick Gold (ABX) is due to announce earnings figures on Oct. 29, and at least one investor turned bullish and bought calls to prepare for further upside once the report is out of the way. The investor bought 11,500 April 50 calls out of the gate yesterday, and at the close more than 12,200 of these options crossed the tape versus open interest of 3,300 contracts. The April 50 calls traded for around $1.15, meaning the break-even on this call purchase is $51.15. ABX shares closed just under $40, which is just off the 52-week high of $42.10.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series next Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. EST. Learn how you can make volatility swings work for you with Jared Levy and Jud Pyle. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team look at Thursday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by a slight drop in S&P 500 futures despite upside surprises in earnings reports ahead of the opening bell.

At the close Wednesday, the Dow declined 92 points to 9,949, and the S&P 500 dropped 10 points to 1,081. The VIX popped up 0.7 point to 21.7, showing investors figuring out how to take good market news with the bad.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are down 1.5 points to 1,076. Hong Kong is down 0.5% and Europe is down 1%.

Options Action in Target, Halliburton, Fifth Third Bank

Out of the gate yesterday, heavy options activity hit the tape in Target (TGT), Halliburton (HAL) and Fifth Third Bank (FITB), as investors reacted and prepared for earnings in the names. Analyst Kevin Cook also provides commentary on the fate of bank failures, and how much longer the market might have to deal with bad bank news.

ONN.tv continues its webinar series today with a live trading session on double diagonals. Kevin Cook and Jared Levy continue their lessons from last night’s session to show you time decay and underlying equities strategies in real-time. Sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team look at Wednesday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by mixed earnings report and a drop in futures.

At the close Tuesday, the Dow dropped 50 points to 10,041, and the S&P 500 declined seven points to 1,091. The VIX dropped half a point to 20.9 as investors continue to look for signs of recovery despite the down-market-day.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are down five points to 1,084.5. Hong Kong is down 0.3% and Europe is down 1%.

Earnings Rundown: Upside, Downside Surprises

Apple (AAPL) and Caterpillar (CAT) boosted volume in the November and December strikes. Ahead of the opening bell, Boeing (BA) announced earnings per share (EPS) loss of $2.23, missing estimates by 11 cents. Freeport McMoRan beat expectations by 79 cents a share, and Yahoo (YHOO) surprised to the upside in both earnings per share and revenue expectations. The Internet company also raised its fourth-quarter outlook.

ONN.tv continues its Wednesday webinar series today, as Kevin Cook and Jared Levy teach you how to become an expert on double diagonals. Time decay and underlying equity moves gain the spotlight this week, and sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.

On today’s Options News, Carrie Long and the ONN.tv team look at Tuesday’s pre-market price action in the broader market, highlighted by better-than-expected earnings from Pfizer (PFE) and Caterpillar (CAT).

At the close Monday, the Dow climbed 96 points to 10,092. The S&P 500 gained 10 points to 1,097. Implied volatility dropped 0.1 point to 21.3, suggesting greater risk appetite among investors long for economic recovery.

Early Market Indications

Ahead of the U.S. market open, S&P 500 futures are up six points to 1,097. International markets are up, with Asia up 1% and Europe up 0.1%.

Apple Collar, Straddle Prices

Apple (AAPL) beat analysts’ expectations for another straight quarter, and reported earnings per share figures that beat estimates by 40 cents. That left collar considerations pretty appealing, such as the Nov. 180/120 collar that would have traded for 60 cents. Investors will look for the shares to hover around $175 and buy them up. The at-the-money Nov. 190 straddle is priced at $16.75, or 9% of strike, meaning investors expect a 9% move one way or the other by November expiration. AAPL could continue to beat estimates quarter-over-quarter. Analysts could raise price targets, despite the fact that AAPL set “mixed” guidance for next quarter (Q1).

ONN.tv continues its Wednesday webinar series tomorrow, as Kevin Cook and Jared Levy teach you how to become an expert on double diagonals. Time decay and underlying equity moves gain the spotlight this week, and sign up by clicking on the webinars tab at www.onn.tv to reserve your seat. Sign up now – spots fill up quickly!

For more breaking news and investment pointers on the options market, stay tuned in to ONN.tv.