Today’s tickers: DMND, NVO & YHOO
DMND - Diamond Foods, Inc. – Call options on Diamond Foods, Inc., are changing hands at a clip this morning, amid a strong rally in the price of the underlying on above-average volume in the stock. Shares in the nut producer increased as much as 12.8% on Monday morning to $16.25, the highest level since mid-November. The stock currently trades up 10% on the session at $15.85 as of 11:55 a.m. ET. Traders positioning for shares in the name to extend gains this week snapped up bullish options on the stock. The Feb. $16 strike calls attracted the heaviest volume, with upwards of 4,100 calls in play versus open interest of 1,063 contracts. Time and sales data suggests the bulk of the $16 calls were purchased for an average premium of $0.23 apiece. Call buyer stand ready to profit at expiration in the event that Diamond’s shares rally another 2.4% over the current price of $15.85 to exceed the average breakeven point at $16.23. The higher Feb. $17 strike calls are also active today, with nearly 700 lots in play against open interest of 15 contracts. Traders paying an average premium of $0.15 apiece for the $17 strike calls profit at expiration this week as long as DMND shares rise 8.2% from the current level to top $17.15.
NVO - Novo Nordisk A/S – Shares in Danish drug maker, Novo Nordisk, are down 13.9% to stand at $165.58 as of 11:30 a.m. ET on Monday morning on concerns the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s request for more data on two of Novo’s products will significantly delay the release of those drugs in U.S. markets. Options on the largest maker of insulin are more active than usual today, with volume topping 1,430 contracts during the first half of the trading session versus average daily options volume of around 225 contracts. Put selling on the stock suggests some traders expect the selling pressure to subside, at least in the near term. Upwards of 230…
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