Monday, October 12, 2009

INSTITUTIONS BUY CALL OPTIONS ON THE BANKS BEFORE EARNINGS (XLF)

The index closed up 12 cents (.79%).
From Interactive Brokers via The Pragmatic Capitalist:

Some big money is moving into the XLF banking ETF before the banks begin reporting their earnings this week. 130,000 calls were purchased today with expectations of a greater than 7% rally in the shares. From the IB options desk:

XLF – Financial Select Sector SPDR – Shares of the financials exchange-traded fund are 0.75% higher today at $15.36. Massive call transactions in the November contract this afternoon suggest some investors expect further bullish movement in the price of the fund by expiration. Traders taking a near-term optimistic stance on financial stocks purchased approximately 130,000 calls at the November 16 strike for an average premium of 48 cents apiece....MORE