In the News: Snooki v. Obama, The Ghost of Lehman Brothers, and... the Blackpad?

Today's GDP report was certainly big news for the market, prompting a major a.m. spike in the CBOE Market Volatility Index (VIX). The fear index has since calmed down, though, and is now resting on a 2.5% loss, just above its 200-day moving average -- so I think we're all free to relax, too, and consider some of the day's truly newsworthy headlines:

• The cultural juggernaut known as Jersey Shore has made its triumphant return to the airwaves, just in time for Snooki to strike back at President Obama. In the first episode's opening moments, Snooki boldly asserted that Obama specifically targeted the show's cast by levying a 10% tanning tax, forcing her to airbrush her face to her preferred shade of Oompa-Loompa orange. This is the second time this week the leader of the free world has shared headlines with Snooki; on Wednesday, the president was caught in a major flip-flop when he claimed to have no knowledge of the pint-sized reality star -- even though he made a joke at her expense at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner in May. But come on, now -- was anybody really under the impression that uber-nerd Obama was testing out his own comedy material? In any event, this is officially now the hottest celebrity feud since Paris and Nicole.
• Speaking of questionable PR, Fortune's Duff McDonald reports on the troubled resume of Ohio gubernatorial candidate John Kasich. Thanks to a lengthy run as an employee of Lehman Brothers, Kasich has become an easy target for incumbent opponent Ted Strickland -- and, as McDonald points out, Kasich's own reticence about his Lehman tenure is only making the situation worse. I'm no political scientist, but Kasich might want to consider a positive spin on the matter... you know, something like: "Vote for John Kasich -- I Didn't Work at AIG!"
• An exclusive Bloomberg report today indicates that Research In Motion Limited (RIMM) is prepping its own tablet computer for a launch sometime in November. The BlackBerry parent wouldn't confirm the reports, but one of the sources cited in the article reveals that the new device will be called the Blackpad. I hope that particular detail is inaccurate, if only because it's such a blatantly underachieving, coattail-riding name. What's next -- a music player called the Blackpod? Or a computer called the Blackmac? That's just kind of sad, RIMM.
• Meanwhile, over in The Wall Street Journal, Brett Arends asks the pressing question of the weekend: Is Chelsea Clinton Setting a Bad Example? The underlying assumption, apparently, is that dimwit brides will think to themselves, "If Chelsea's getting a multi-million dollar wedding, I want Daddy to buy one for me, too!" [Insert dainty foot-stomp here.] But I think most brides-to-be probably know they're not Chelsea Clinton -- and thank God for that, or their pre-pubescent awkward phases would have been a topic of national debate. In fact, Clinton's real error in judgment was scheduling her nuptials for July 31, which I claimed as my special day nearly 29 years ago. And yes, I've aged wonderfully. Thanks for noticing.

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Stocks at New Lows: MEMC Electronic Materials, NVIDIA, and Myriad Genetics, Inc.

Despite another lackluster session for the broader equities market, new highs are still outnumbering new lows on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. At last check, the Big Board was reporting 95 highs and 16 lows, while the Nasdaq is featuring 28 highs versus 26 lows. Among today's stocks tagging fresh annual nadirs are MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. (WFR), NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA), and Myriad Genetics, Inc. (MYGN).

In fact, the beleaguered shares of WFR are down nearly 16% this afternoon, just barely improved from their a.m. low at $9.19. The stock gapped below the $10 level this morning after WFR fell short of second-quarter profit expectations, and this round-number region could now act as resistance.

In light of WFR's earnings miss, the stock has been hit with no fewer than four price-target cuts and three downgrades from analysts (additionally, two brokerage firms are taking a contrary stance by issuing upgrades -- valuation-based, perhaps). Options players have also piled on, with put volume on WFR rising to six times the norm. Specifically, it looks like traders are buying puts at the equity's August 11 and August 10 strikes.

As for NVDA, the stock has muscled fractionally higher after falling as low as $8.92 earlier. The shares staged a bearish gap yesterday on the heels of a slashed revenue forecast, and NVDA is now fighting resistance near the site of this gap, in the $9.50 neighborhood.

Finally, MYGN tagged a fresh 52-week low of $14.11 earlier -- which, technically, is the stock's lowest price since November 2006. Today's dip continues a longer-term swoon for MYGN, which has beaten a steady path lower since April 2009. The equity's most recent bout of weakness has been highlighted by resistance at its 10-day and 20-day moving averages, which have smacked the shares consistently lower since early May.

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Options in Play: American Axle and Ford Motor Company

Unless you spent the 1980s holed up in a cave, today's two focus stocks -- American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (AXL) and Ford Motor Company (F) -- might call to mind the super-catchy theme of Beverly Hills Cop. "Axel F," anybody? No? Just me? Well, in any event, both auto-related issues are racking up noteworthy option volume in today's trading.

AXL is attracting attention in the wake of its second-quarter earnings report, which hit the Street this morning. The auto parts company topped analysts' profit and revenue expectations, and the stock is up more than 6% as a result. Now, AXL is poised to notch a weekly close above its 20-week moving average for the first time since April 30.

Put volume on the equity has ramped up to 13 times the norm today, with nearly 5,300 contracts crossing the tape so far. Most active is AXL's out-of-the-money January 2011 7.50-strike put, with 5,000 contracts changing hands. These aren't necessarily bearish bets, though -- earlier, a block of 2,055 contracts traded closer to the bid price, indicating they may have been sold.

Puts are also the options of choice on Ford today, with volume climbing to 1.47 times the expected level. Roughly 37,000 puts have crossed the tape so far, and most of the action is taking place in the automaker's front-month series. The August 12 put has seen 9,258 contracts trade, with 75% crossing at the ask price -- indicating they were purchased.

Shares of Ford are 1.5% lower this afternoon, but the stock is simply consolidating some gains. The stock is hovering comfortably above the $12.50 region, which is the site of a recent bullish gap, as well as F's rising 10-day moving average. Going forward, this level could prove to be key support for the security -- much to the dismay of today's put buyers.

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Dynamic Materials Stock Implodes after Analyst Downgrade

Shares of Dynamic Materials Inc. (BOOM) have blown up this morning, as traders have sent the stock down nearly 9% in reaction to the company's second-quarter earnings report and lackluster fiscal 2010 guidance. For the quarter, BOOM eared 23 cents per share, versus expectations for breakeven results. However, the company said that it sees 2010 sales down by about 5% compared to last year.

In addition to investor reactions, analysts at DA Davidson & Co. downgraded BOOM to "neutral" from "buy." However, DA Davidson was among only a scant few brokerage firms that rated the stock a "buy," as Zacks reports that six of the eight analysts following BOOM rate the equity a "hold," versus two "buys" and no "sells."

In fact, pretty much everyone is betting against the stock. BOOM's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.66 ranks above 74% of all those taken during the past year, while some 6% of the stock's float is currently sold short.

The one thing working in BOOM's favor is that the stock is perched on support in the $15 area. Though even this long-term support level could be called into question, as the shares are squeezed by resistance at their declining 10-week and 20-week moving averages. The bottom line is that BOOM has very little going for it at the moment, especially with the stock seemingly heading for yet another explosive move to the downside.

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Hot Stocks: Chiquita Brands International, Eastman Chemical Co., and Monster Worldwide Inc.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) has rebounded from early losses, with traders finally coming to grips with the deceleration in U.S. economic growth. At last check, the Dow was off a mere 12 points, up from an opening plunge of about 90 points. Checking in with trading activity on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), we find that bullish investors have turned their attention toward Chiquita Brands International, Eastman Chemical Co., and Monster Worldwide Inc.

Chiquita Brands International Inc. (CQB) reported that its second-quarter net income rose to $95 million, or $2.06 per share, as the company benefited from the sale of a majority stake in its fruit-smoothie business and improving profitability in Europe. "Revitalizing Europe is our most important priority and we made solid progress executing a business improvement plan...," Chiquita Chairman and Chief Executive Fernando Aguirre said in the earnings release.

CQB shares have rocketed more than 10% higher in the wake of the report, with the stock now poised to closed its first week above its 10-week and 20-week trendlines since late April. However, it appears that CQB has run out of steam near the $15 level. However, if the equity can push past this technical hurdle, it could spark another strong upleg for CQB. Short interest accounts for more than 15% of the stock's total float, and a break out above long-term support/resistance in the $15 region could send these bears scrambling for the exits.

While not as hot as CQB, the shares of Eastman Chemical Company (EMN) have rallied more than 3% so far today. EMN traders are reacting to strong second-quarter earnings, which surpassed the Street's view by 40 cents per share. The company also guided for third-quarter earnings to come in above the current consensus estimate.

EMN shares find themselves in a bind similar to CQB. The stock has rallied above its 10-week and 20-week moving averages, and EMN has seven reclaimed potential round-number support in the $60 region. However, most investors already have seats on the EMN bullish bandwagon, with the stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.19 arriving in the 98th annual percentile and eight of the 11 analysts following the shares rating them a "buy" or better. Only short sellers remain bearish on the stock, with 7% of EMN's float sold short. But these bears won't be in any hurry to buy back their bets unless the stock can move past resistance near $62 per share.

Earnings is the name of the game today, as Monster Worldwide Inc. (MWW) topped the consensus second-quarter earnings outlook while guiding to a narrower-than-expected full-year loss. MWW shares have rallied roughly 3.5% to test support/resistance in the $14 region. This area provided support for the stock from August 2009 through June 2010.

There is plenty of sideline money that could be brought to bear on MWW. For instance, short interest accounts for nearly 14.5% of the stock's total float, while nine of the 15 analysts following the shares rate them a "hold" or worse. If MWW can maintain today's momentum, it could force these bears to reconsider their losing positions.

-posted by Joseph Hargett (jhargett@sir-inc.com)
7/30/2010 10:57 AM

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Option Skews - Relatively Heavy Call Activity for Marvell Technology Group Ltd., Moody's Corp., MBIA Inc., Barrick Gold Corp.

Here are the stocks that saw a bias toward call activity in the previous session. This filtered scan is based on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) buy-to-open data. It looks for stocks where the previous day's call volume on the ISE is at least twice as great as the put volume. It then sorts the stocks based on the call volume. Since this is buy-to-open data, this can be a good source for finding stocks where optimism is emerging. Contrarians may want to focus on situations where there is call activity on stocks that are still in intermediate-term downtrends. This would be a potentially cautionary sign.

Companies included in today's scan results: Citigroup Inc (C), Marvell Technology Grp Ltd (MRVL), Pfizer Inc (PFE), Bank Of America Corp New (BAC), Akamai Technologies Inc (AKAM), Walgreen Co (WAG), Apple Inc (AAPL), Genzyme Corp (GENZ), Intel Corp (INTC), Micron Tech Inc (MU), Moody'S Corporation (MCO), Microsoft Corp (MSFT), Mbia Incorporated (MBI), Barrick Gold Corp (ABX), Teva Pharm Inds (TEVA), Freeport Mcmoran Cop & Gold (FCX), Range Resources Corp (RRC), Expedia Inc (EXPE), Western Digital Corp (WDC), Valero Energy Corp (VLO), Owens-Illinois Inc (OI), Potash Corp Sask Inc (POT), Burger King Holdings, Inc (BKC), Boston Scientific Corp (BSX), Research In Motion Limited (RIMM).

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Option Skews - Relatively Heavy Put Activity for DryShips Inc., DuPont, Oracle Corp., Research In Motion Limited

Here are the stocks that saw a bias toward put activity in the previous session. This filtered scan is based on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) buy-to-open data. It looks for stocks where the previous day's put volume on the ISE is at least twice as great as the call volume. It then sorts the stocks based on the put volume. Since this is buy-to-open data, this can be a good source for finding stocks where skepticism is emerging. Contrarians may want to focus on situations where there is put activity on stocks that are still in intermediate-term uptrends. This would be a potentially encouraging sign.

Companies included in today's scan results: Citigroup Inc (C), Dryships Inc (DRYS), Du Pont E I De Nemours & Co (DD), Oracle Corporation (ORCL), Manulife Financial Corp (MFC), Citrix Systems Inc (CTXS), Xilinx Inc (XLNX), Aes Corporation (AES), Microsoft Corp (MSFT), Apple Inc (AAPL), Bank Of America Corp New (BAC), General Electric Co (GE), Genzyme Corp (GENZ), Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM), Baidu Inc (BIDU), Akamai Technologies Inc (AKAM), Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS), Merck & Co Inc New (MRK), Sprint Nextel Corp (S), Marvell Technology Grp Ltd (MRVL), Arch Coal Inc (ACI), Sunoco Inc (SUN), Ford Motor Company (F), Research In Motion Limited (RIMM), Caterpillar Inc (CAT).

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Stocks Advancing Amid Heavy Short Interest - ATC Technology Corp., Cypress Bioscience Inc., Education Management Corp., Quicksilver Resources Inc.

As explained in our education section, short interest is a useful sentiment indicator that measures the level of investor pessimism toward a stock. While it isn't always a simple "long only" indicator, it can give you insight into situations where you might see concentrated buying demand. The purpose of this post is to highlight heavily-shorted stocks that could be in the midst of a potential short covering rally. More details about the methodology are listed below.

Methodology - the query scans a database of companies which has some basic filters to eliminate stocks that don't trade frequently. The table above is a filtered list of stocks that have at least 10 percent of their float sold short and showed a gain in the previous trading day. This can be used as a tool for finding situations where stocks with heavy short interest have begun to move.

Companies included in today's scan are: Atc Technology Corp (ATAC), Cypress Bioscience Inc (CYPB), Education Mngmnt Corp (EDMC), Quicksilver Resources Inc (KWK), Mannatech Incorporated (MTEX), Blockbuster Inc (BBI), Powerwave Technologies Inc (PWAV), Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc (ARNA), Akeena Solar Inc (AKNS), Capella Education Company (CPLA), Bridgepoint Education Inc. (BPI), Sterling Construction Com (STRL), Corinthian Colleges Inc (COCO), Vascular Solutions Inc (VASC), Poniard Pharmaceuticals Inc (PARD), Repros Therapeutics Inc (RPRX), Solarfun Power Hldgs Co Ltd (SOLF), First Bancorp Hldg Co P R (FBP), Ladish Company (LDSH), Haynes Intl Inc (HAYN), Photronics Inc (PLAB), Flow Intl Corp (FLOW), Oculus Innovative Sciences (OCLS), Sulphco Inc (SUF), Dxp Enterprises Inc (DXPE).

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DJIA Heads toward 90-Point Drop as U.S. Economic Growth Decelerates in Second Quarter

Good morning! The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is headed toward an opening drop of about 90 points, as weaker-than-expected second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) drags on investor sentiment. Turning toward the S&P 500 Index (SPX), futures on the broad market index are trading about 13 points below fair value. As I noted in Opening View, look for support at 10,400 for the DJIA and at 1,090 for the SPX. If the decline deepens after the opening bell sounds, we could even see the Dow fall to around 10,300-10,350, with the SPX pulling back to 1,080.

Diving into this morning's economic data, U.S. second-quarter GDP rose at a 2.4% annualized rate, well below the average 4.4% increase during the prior six months. Despite the deceleration, it was almost in line with economists' predictions for a 2.5% rate. First quarter GDP was revised higher to an annualize rate of 3.7% from the prior estimate of a 2.7% increase.

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Bullish Movers: Clean Energy Fuels Corp. and Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc.

It's been a fairly lackluster day for the broader equities market, but alternative-fuel stocks are blazing a path higher. Both Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (CLNE) and Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc. (FSYS) have racked up substantial gains, with traders eyeing a potential legislative boost for the duo. CLNE and FSYS are expected to reap the benefits of a new energy bill making its way through Capitol Hill, which provides incentives for alternative-fuel vehicles.

CLNE has racked up a gain of more than 9% this afternoon, and the stock's 10-day and 80-day moving averages are now on the brink of a bullish cross. The equity is also poised to end the week above its 20-week moving average for the first time since late April.

As a result, call volume has ramped up to five times the norm on CLNE, with more than 8,000 contracts changing hands. The stock's August 20 call is most popular, as 2,476 contracts have traded here -- 52% at the ask price, indicating they were purchased. With CLNE trading just shy of $19, these calls are narrowly out of the money.

Meanwhile, FSYS is up 5% at last check to trade above $30. Like CLNE, the stock is now poised to notch a weekly victory above resistance at its 20-week moving average. If shorts decide to hit the exits, FSYS could easily benefit from a short-squeeze situation -- currently, short interest represents a whopping 55% of the equity's float.

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On the Radar: Cisco Systems, VistaPrint, and Fed President James Bullard

As we slog through the second half of today's dreary session, we've got a few major movers and shakers on the radar. While Cisco Systems (CSCO) and VistaPrint (VPRT) have turned in dramatic price action today, Fed President James Bullard is grabbing headlines with some new hawkish comments.

Kicking things off with Cisco Systems (CSCO) -- good news, everybody, those new equity-specific circuit breakers work. Trading was halted in CSCO for five minutes earlier after a few "potentially erroneous" trades crossed the tape on the NYSE Amex. After an investigation, the exchange determined that the trades should stand. CSCO has no comment on the matter; at last check, the Dow component was off about 1%.

As for VistaPrint (VPRT), the shares have plunged more than 36% today after the company predicted weaker-than-expected earnings and revenue for 2011. The stock tagged a new annual low of $31.65 earlier, gapping well below former support at its 20-month moving average. Not surprisingly, puts are a popular choice on VPRT today -- volume has ramped up to 74 times the norm, with 12,000 puts changing hands so far.

Finally, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard decided to kick the market while it was down by warning of potentially disastrous deflation. "With a little bit weaker numbers on the economy and inflation a little bit low, people are starting to talk about the possibility of a Japanese-style outcome for the U.S.," Bullard told reporters today. The Fed president says he's trying to spark debate about the effectiveness of the Federal Open Market Committee's notorious "extended period" language.

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The Market at Midday: DJIA Drops 97 Points on Light Volume

An intraday chart of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) seems to reveal a sudden crisis of confidence by the bulls. After a modestly positive start to the session, the major market indexes -- including the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (COMP) -- staged a simultaneous swan dive right before 11:30 a.m. Traders are feeling disturbed by Exxon Mobil's (XOM) quarterly revenue miss, as well as a top-line disappointment from consumer goods titan Colgate Palmolive (CL). Here's how the stats are stacking up as we roll into the second half of the session:

• The DJIA is down roughly 97 points and testing support near 10,400, which is the site of its 200-day moving average. The blue-chip barometer has notched four straight daily closes above this key trendline. Meanwhile, the SPX has dipped below 1,100 at last check, retreating from a test of resistance at its own 200-day moving average. As for the COMP, the tech-rich index has dropped substantially below its 200-day trendline, suggesting its four-day winning streak above this level is about to end.
• On the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), we've got 90 new annual highs and just 15 new annual lows. However, decliners are outnumbering advancing equities by more than two to one on the Big Board, as evidenced by the advance/decline ratio of 0.45.
• On the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, new annual highs and lows are neck and neck, with 24 of each so far. The Nasdaq's advance/decline ratio is slightly worse than the NYSE's, weighing in at about 0.41.
• Volume is pretty weak on both exchanges, but has ramped up steadily throughout the session -- so we could be somewhere around normal by the time the closing bell rings.
• On the options front, 3.02 million calls and 2.76 million puts have changed hands, resulting in a put/call volume ratio of 0.91. The International Securities Exchange (ISE) reports a symmetrical put/call volume ratio of 0.91, while the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) sports a slightly inflated put/call volume ratio of 0.98.

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August Seasonality Favors Bullish Investors

Tomorrow marks the last trading day of July, and the major market indexes are on pace to gain more than 7% for the month. As Andrea Kramer noted heading into July, the month has historically been very bullish for the S&P 500 Index (SPX), with the index averaging gains of 2.29% and 0.42% for the previous five-year and 10-year periods. While August doesn't quite live up to July's performance during the past five years, the month is far from being a laggard.

According to data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Alan "Rocky" White, the SPX has turned in a positive performance in seven of the past eight Augusts. Furthermore, the index has logged gains of 1.37% and 0.90% during the month for the prior five-year and 10-year periods. In fact, August has a slightly better track record, from a longer-term perspective, than July. While it would be daring, at best, to expect August to top July's current gain of more than 7% on the SPX, bulls should take heart that Wall Street should continue higher for at least another month. Enjoy it while you can, because -- looking at the tables below -- September doesn't look so hot.

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Analyst Action: Symantec Corp., NVIDIA Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Technology stocks are pacing overall gains on Wall Street this morning, but a few laggards are preventing the sector from leading the market higher. Among those, Symantec Corp. (SYMC), NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA), and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) are among the worst offenders, with the trio attracting a slew of negative brokerage activity due to poor quarterly earnings performances.

Symantec Corp. (SYMC) gapped sharply lower this morning, and while the stock has rebounded from earlier lows, SYMC remains down more than 7%. The company reported that non-GAAP earnings were 35 cents per share in the most recent reporting period, falling in line with analyst expectations. However, several analysts took issue with the lackluster quarterly report. In fact, no less than seven separate brokerage firms either cut their price targets on the stock or downgraded SYMC outright:

• Morgan Keegan, FBR Capital Markets, and Raymond James all cut SYMC to "market perform" from "outperform"


• Bank of America-Merrill Lynch downgraded SYMC to "neutral" from "buy"


• Jefferies slashed its price target to $15 per share from $17 per share


• Citigroup cut its target to $15 per share from $18 per share


• Credit Suisse lowered its price target to $16.50 per share from $22 per share

Unfortunately for SYMC, there is plenty of room for more brokerage firms to follow suit. According to Zacks, 16 of the 28 analysts following the stock rate it a "buy" or better, with no "sell" ratings. Additionally, Thomson Reuters reports that the median 12-month price target for SYMC rests at $18 per share - a 32% premium to the stock's current perch near $13.60.

While NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA) didn't issue an earnings report, the company did lower its sales outlook for the current quarter. According to the graphics processor specialist, it now expects revenue of $800 million to $820 million, compared with prior guidance for a range of $950 million to $970 million. NVDA said "revenue shortfall occurred primarily in the consumer GPU [graphics chips] business, resulting from increased memory costs and economic weakness in Europe and China."

The stock has plunged more than 8% as a result, with eight analysts piling on the bearish sentiment, including price-target cuts from Susquehanna, Oppenheimer, Macquarie, BMO, Citigroup, Caris, and Wedbush Morgan. Only FBR Capital Markets downgraded its rating on the stock, cutting NVDA to "market perform" from "outperform." Currently, NVDA sports nine "buys," 16 "holds," and just two "sell" ratings. Meanwhile, Thomson Reuters states that NVDA's median 12-month price-target sits at $16.50 per share.

Finally, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) attracted the ire of only one analyst following its second-quarter earnings report. For the quarter, AMD said it earned 11 cents per share on an adjusted basis, with revenue arriving at $1.65 billion. The consensus was expecting a profit of 6 cents per share on revenue of $1.55 billion.

Following the report, FBR Capital Markets downgraded the stock to "market perform" from "outperform." However, there is very little room left on the bearish bandwagon for AMD, as the stock already sports 19 "hold" or worse ratings. In fact, out of 27 ratings, the equity has only attracted eight "buys." Though, with the stock down more than 17% year-to-date, I would be surprised to see a wealth of bullish ratings out of the brokerage bunch on AMD.

-posted by Joseph Hargett (jhargett@sir-inc.com)
7/29/2010 10:21 AM

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Option Skews - Relatively Heavy Call Activity for Micron Technology Inc., The Mosaic Company, Chesapeake Energy Corp., and Cephalon Inc.

Here are the stocks that saw a bias toward call activity in the previous session. This filtered scan is based on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) buy-to-open data. It looks for stocks where the previous day's call volume on the ISE is at least twice as great as the put volume. It then sorts the stocks based on the call volume. Since this is buy-to-open data, this can be a good source for finding stocks where optimism is emerging. Contrarians may want to focus on situations where there is call activity on stocks that are still in intermediate-term downtrends. This would be a potentially cautionary sign.

Companies included in today's scan results: Microsoft Corp (MSFT), Pfizer Inc (PFE), Nvidia Corp (NVDA), Range Resources Corp (RRC), Micron Tech Inc (MU), Citigroup Inc (C), Apple Inc (AAPL), Tyco Intl Ltd New (TYC), Mosaic Company (The) (MOS), Bank Of America Corp New (BAC), Barrick Gold Corp (ABX), Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM), Research In Motion Limited (RIMM), Consol Energy Inc (CNX), Coca Cola Entrps Inc (CCE), Chesapeake Energy Corp (CHK), Cephalon Inc (CEPH), Walgreen Co (WAG), Teva Pharm Inds (TEVA), Symantec Corp (SYMC), Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS), Unitedhealth Group Inc (UNH), A123 Systems Inc (AONE), Foot Locker Inc (FL), Marvell Technology Grp Ltd (MRVL).

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Option Skews - Relatively Heavy Put Activity for Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc., Nokia Corp., Consol Energy Inc., Express Scripts Inc.

Here are the stocks that saw a bias toward put activity in the previous session. This filtered scan is based on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) buy-to-open data. It looks for stocks where the previous day's put volume on the ISE is at least twice as great as the call volume. It then sorts the stocks based on the put volume. Since this is buy-to-open data, this can be a good source for finding stocks where skepticism is emerging. Contrarians may want to focus on situations where there is put activity on stocks that are still in intermediate-term uptrends. This would be a potentially encouraging sign.

Companies included in today's scan results: Radioshack Corp (RSH), Arcelormittal (MT), Intuit Inc (INTU), Amylin Pharma Inc (AMLN), Nvidia Corp (NVDA), Citigroup Inc (C), Nokia Corp (NOK), Citrix Systems Inc (CTXS), Intel Corp (INTC), Apple Inc (AAPL), Costco Wholesale Corp (COST), General Electric Co (GE), Morgan Stanley (MS), Teva Pharm Inds (TEVA), Consol Energy Inc (CNX), Aruba Networks, Inc. (ARUN), Broadcom Corporation (BRCM), Cemex S.A.B. De C.V. (CX), First Solar Inc (FSLR), Coca Cola Entrps Inc (CCE), United Parcel Svc Inc (UPS), Caterpillar Inc (CAT), Express Scripts Inc (ESRX), Qualcomm Inc (QCOM), Research In Motion Limited (RIMM).

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Stocks Advancing Amid Heavy Short Interest - Tierone Corporation, Atlas Pipeline Partners L.P., FuelCell Energy Inc., Plug Power Inc.

As explained in our education section, short interest is a useful sentiment indicator that measures the level of investor pessimism toward a stock. While it isn't always a simple "long only" indicator, it can give you insight into situations where you might see concentrated buying demand. The purpose of this post is to highlight heavily-shorted stocks that could be in the midst of a potential short covering rally. More details about the methodology are listed below.

Methodology - the query scans a database of companies which has some basic filters to eliminate stocks that don't trade frequently. The table above is a filtered list of stocks that have at least 10 percent of their float sold short and showed a gain in the previous trading day. This can be used as a tool for finding situations where stocks with heavy short interest have begun to move.

Companies included in today's scan are: Tierone Corporation (TONE), Atlas Pipeline Partners L.P. (APL), Silicon Image Inc (SIMG), Daystar Techn Inc (DSTI), Ehealth Inc (EHTH), Yrc Worldwide Inc (YRCW), Affymetrix Inc (AFFX), Kandi Technologies Corp (KNDI), Augusta Resource Corp (AZC), Basic Energy Services Inc. (BAS), L&L Energy Inc (LLEN), Fuelcell Energy Inc (Del ) (FCEL), California Pizza Kitchen Inc (CPKI), Evergreen Energy Inc (EEE), Marina Biotech Inc (MRNA), Jackson Hewitt Tax Svcs Inc (JTX), Sulphco Inc (SUF), Wyndham Worldwide Corp (WYN), Toreador Res Corp (TRGL), Stoneridge Inc (SRI), Cb Richard Ellis Group Inc (CBG), Imergent Inc (IIG), Exact Sciences Corporation (EXAS), Plug Power Inc (PLUG), Illumina Inc (ILMN).

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DJIA Bulls Fight to Maintain Control Following Weekly Jobless Claims

Good morning! The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) had a rough morning, with futures swinging wildly in a tight range as Wall Street reacted to the latest weekly U.S. jobless claims data. While the initial reaction send futures sharply lower, the DJIA has since recovered, and is headed toward an opening gain of about 50 points. As you can see from the chart below, 10,500 could be a significant hurdle for the DJIA in early trading. Turning toward the S&P 500 Index (SPX), the broad market index is up about 5.4 points heading into the open. As I noted in Opening View, look for support at 10,400 for the DJIA and at 1,090 for the SPX, while resistance should materialize near 10,600 and 1,115, respectively.

As for this morning's economic data, weekly initial jobless claims fell 11,000 to 457,000 in the latest week, according to the Labor Department. Economists were expecting initial claims to fall to 460,000. The four-week average, fell 4,500 to 452,500, while continuing claims rose 81,000 to 4.57 million.

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Call Buyers Flock to Qualcomm and E*Trade Financial Corporation

Sifting through the past couple of weeks' worth of buy-to-open option volume from the International Securities Exchange (ISE), heavy call activity on Qualcomm, Inc. (QCOM) and E*Trade Financial Corporation (ETFC) caught my eye. Both companies recently surpassed analysts' quarterly earnings expectations -- but is this heavily bullish option volume a sign of climactic optimism?

Starting with QCOM, traders on the ISE have bought to open 53,683 calls and 18,295 puts during the past two weeks, resulting in a 10-day ISE call/put volume ratio of 2.93. This ratio rests in the 83rd annual percentile, indicating that traders are snapping up calls over puts at a faster pace than usual.

However, bullish sentiment doesn't seem overdone yet. Short interest rose by 23.6% during the most recent reporting period, so it's entirely possible that some of those calls were purchased as hedges by the shorts. Likewise, QCOM's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.94 ranks in the 77th annual percentile, pointing to elevated skepticism among short-term speculators.

QCOM's well-received earnings propelled the stock above resistance from its 80-day moving average, but the stock is still staring up at potential pressure from its 200-day trendline. Plus, with 55,954 contracts located at the out-of-the-money August 40 call, options-related resistance is a very real threat during the short term.

As for ETFC, speculators on the ISE have bought to open 30,692 calls and just 52 puts during the past 10 days. The stock's 10-day ISE call/put volume ratio of 590.23 ranks in the 96th annual percentile, just four percentage points from a bullish peak.

Like QCOM, shares of the online broker staged a bullish post-earnings gap -- but unlike QCOM, ETFC's positive momentum was halted by its 80-day moving average, located just south of $15. In fact, ETFC has been virtually comatose since Friday's big initial bullish gap, with the stock ricocheting between $14.10 and $14.80 in the intervening sessions.

Obviously, ETFC is in dire need of another bullish catalyst. If skeptical analysts decide to move off the sidelines, a round of upgrades could draw more buyers to the table -- according to Zacks, 10 of the 14 brokerage firms following ETFC maintain a "hold" or worse rating.

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Skeptics Add New Bearish Bets on National Bank of Greece

National Bank of Greece (NBG) jumped onto Wall Street's radar following the results of last week's stress tests on euro zone banks. With merger-and-speculation rumors now swirling around the sector, NBG mustered enough buying pressure to challenge resistance from its 20-week moving average. However, the stock's attempt to tackle this trendline was soundly rejected, and options traders today are betting on longer-term losses for the Greek bank.

Specifically, put volume has accelerated to four times the norm on NBG, with more than 1,900 contracts crossing the tape. NBG's February 2 put is most active, as 1,500 contracts have changed hands. All of these puts have traded at the ask price, indicating they were purchased -- and with just 505 contracts in open interest, it's a safe guess that new bearish bets are being added today at this out-of-the-money strike.

Today's flurry of put volume continues a recent trend for NBG, which has garnered a 10-day International Securities Exchange (ISE) put/call volume ratio of 2.46. In other words, traders have purchased more than two puts for every call on the stock during the past couple of weeks.

However, this preference for puts could actually work to NBG's advantage during the short term. The stock's narrowly out of the money August 2.50 put is home to a noteworthy accumulation of 6,097 contracts, which could provide a measure of options-related support as expiration approaches.

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Options in Play: Netflix, Arch Coal, and Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Today's option trades of note include a cautiously optimistic credit spread on Netflix, Inc. (NFLX), bullish pre-earnings speculation on Arch Coal, Inc. (ACI), and a big volatility play on Chesapeake Energy Corporation (CHK). Read on for a quick-and-dirty review of the major trades on each stock.

• Put volume has ramped up to more than two times the norm on NFLX, with roughly 15,000 contracts crossing the tape by midday. However, it looks like this activity might actually be neutral-to-bullish in nature, with one speculator initiating a short put spread by selling August 95 puts and buying August 90 puts. At last check, NFLX is down about 3%, with the shares testing support at the century level.
• Traders seem to be adding new bullish bets on ACI today, with call volume surging to twice the stock's daily average. The October 22 call is most popular, as 2,902 contracts have traded on open interest of 731 contracts -- indicating new calls are being opened here today. Most of these contracts have changed hands at the ask price, pointing to bullish speculation ahead of ACI's Friday earnings report.
• Finally, one trader placed a major bet on volatility by buying to open about 5,000 January 2011 21-strike puts on CHK, and simultaneously purchasing a matching block of January 2011 21-strike calls. In this long straddle, the trader is looking for CHK to make a major move higher or lower prior to January expiration. However, CHK shares are defiantly flat at last check, with the shares lingering near the midpoint of their short-term trading range between the $20.50 and $22 levels.

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A Bearish Debit Spread on the iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund

The iShares Russell 2000 Index Fund (IWM) has attracted a wealth of put activity today, with volume at the September 62 strike swelling to more than 15,000 contracts. Taking a closer look at these trades reveals that most blocks have changed hands at the bid, suggesting that they were sold. Furthermore, since IWM is trading near $65.52, meaning that the September 62 puts are nowhere near being in the money, it is likely that we are looking at put selling at this strike.

A more interesting, and considerably more bearish, options trade took place at IWM's August 66 and 68 call strikes at about 9:45 a.m. on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX). Specifically, a block of 5,000 August 66 calls traded for the bid price of $2.00, while a block of 5,000 August 68 calls crossed at the ask price of $1.05. The result is a credit of $0.95, or $95 per contract, which the trader will keep as long as IWM holds below $66 per share through August expiration. This debit spread's return is limited to the initial credit received, while losses are capped at the difference between the 66 and 68 call strikes, minus the initial credit received, or $1.05 total.

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Hot Stocks: Atlas Pipeline Holdings, Atlas Pipeline Partners, Jones Lang Lasalle Inc., and Wyndham Worldwide Corp.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is hovering just below breakeven heading into midday trading, with Wall Street bulls rather skittish ahead of the Fed's Beige Book after June's durable-goods orders unexpectedly plunged. In the meantime, trading activity on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) reveals that those bulls that are active have turned their attention toward Atlas Pipeline Holdings (AHD), Atlas Pipeline Partners (APL), Jones Lang Lasalle Inc. (JLL), and Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (WYN).

Atlas Pipeline Partners (APL) shares have spiked more than 30% higher today after the company announced that it is selling its Elk City System division for $682 million to Enbridge Energy Partners (EEP). What's more, shares of APL's parent company Atlas Pipeline Holdings (AHD) have also joined in the merriment, soaring some 25% at last check.

Sticking with APL, the stock has broken out above formerly staunch resistance in the $15 region. This area capped APL from February through May, and could now provide a floor for the shares in the event of a post-event pullback. Sentiment toward the shares is mixed, with very little in the way of short interest, and a moderately bullish open interest configuration in the options pits. However, there is room for potential upgrades from the brokerage bunch. According to Zacks, three of the four analysts following APL still rate the stock a "hold." Naturally, a shift toward "buy" ratings from this bunch of holdouts could provide additional buying pressure for APL shares.

After the close last night, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. (JLL) reported that it had swung to a second-quarter profit due to double-digit revenue growth, higher margins, and fewer charges due to an improving leasing and capital markets business. The shares have responded today by soaring more than 6%, despite a lack of direction in the broader market. Technically, JLL has rebounded sharply from support at its 200-day moving average, but the shares are still staring up at round-number resistance in the $80 region, as well as their April high near $85.

There is potential for JLL shares to extend today's surge higher, especially if the stock can muscle past $80 per share. Specifically, nearly 4% of the stock's float is currently sold short, while JLL's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.97 ranks above 90% of all those taken during the past year. An unwinding of this pessimism in the wake of the company's stronger-than-expected quarterly report could provide additional lift for JLL shares.

Finally, Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (WYN) rounds out the top three outperforming stocks on the NYSE, with the shares rallying roughly 10%. WYN reported this morning that its second-quarter earnings rose 34% due to strong performance at its exchange and rentals business, a lower tax rate, and favorable currency translations. The figures topped analyst expectations, and led the company's board to authorize a $300 million increase in its share buyback program.

The news has helped propel WYN above former resistance at the 25 level - a region that capped the stock in late June. What's more, there could be additional upside as the bears rush for the exits. Specifically, WYN's SOIR of 2.21 arrives at an annual high, while nearly 6% of the stock's float is currently sold short. As these investors close out their bets to limit losses, WYN should benefit from the resulting tailwind of added buying pressure.

-posted by Joseph Hargett (jhargett@sir-inc.com)
7/28/2010 11:20 AM

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