Gold Bugs And Bears Butt Heads In Options-Land
by Option Review - September 6th, 2011 3:40 pm
Today’s tickers: EGO, ATML, C & XHB
EGO - Eldorado Gold Corp. – Mixed opinion on the direction shares in Eldorado Gold Corp. are likely to take during the two weeks remaining before September contracts expire prevails this morning as buyers of calls and puts in the front month took their marks. Canadian stocks slumped along with U.S. equities on global growth concerns and fears over the European debt crisis, but all that glitters today is gold and those that mine for the precious metal, as shares in Vancouver-based Eldorado rallied 6.1% to a record-high of $22.12 earlier in the session. The October 2011 gold futures started the day in distinctly positive territory, but are roughly flat in early-afternoon trade to stand at $1,875 per ounce as of 12:30 pm in New York.
Options activity in the front month suggests there are some strategists expecting Eldorado’s shares to hit new highs by the time September contract calls expire, while out-of-the-money put purchases indicate other players are building up bearish positions should the stock lose its footing in the next eight trading sessions. Bullish traders snapped up 2,000 calls at the September $23 strike for an average premium of $0.29 apiece, against previously existing open interest of just 213 contracts. Call buyers profit if EGO’s shares inflate 5.3% to exceed the average breakeven price of $23.29 by expiration day. Meanwhile, put players targeted the September $20 strike, where some 3,900 contracts changed hands against open interest of 221 contracts. It looks like around 3,000 of the put options were purchased for an average premium of $0.20 each. Buyers of the puts may be taking an outright bearish stance on the stock, or hedging long exposure in the name with the options. Investors holding the contracts make money if EGO’s shares…