Implied Volatility Mover
Implied volatility in Nike (NKE) is moving higher Thursday, as shares of the athletic apparel-maker drop ahead of earnings. The company is due to report after the closing bell today. The stock is down 91 cents to $53.92 in active trading of 2.3 million shares. Meanwhile, options volume is running 3.5X the daily average. 19,000 calls and 9,600 puts traded in Nike so far. Weekly 55 and April 55 calls are the most active and 30-day implied volatility is moving up 11.5 percent to 26.5.
Volume Signals
Oracle (ORCL) options volume is running 6X the (22-day) average, with 201,000 contracts traded and call volume accounting for 56 percent of the volume.
Humana (HUM) options volume is 5.5X, the average daily, with 46,000 contracts traded and put volume representing 69 percent of the activity.
Nike (NKE) options volume is running 2.5X the average daily, with 22,000 contracts traded and call volume accounting for 64 percent of the activity.
Increasing options activity is also being seen in Alcatel Lucent (ALU), Dryships (DRYS), and BMC Software (BMC).
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