Gold mining stock Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd  (NYSE:AEM) is up 1.3% at $117.65 at last glance, brushing off a stronger U.S. dollar as investors favor the greenback amid President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats. The security sports a 50.3% year-to-date lead and is getting support from the $115 region, after a failed June attempt to conquer its April 21, record high of $126.73. Another shot at that new peak could still be within reach, though, thanks to a historically bullish signal.

According to Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White, AEM is within one standard deviation of its 80-day moving average. Shares were above this this trendline in at least eight of the last 10 trading days, and spent 80% of the past two months above it. Within these parameters, eight other signals occurred in the last five years, after which the equity was higher one month later 64% of the time, averaging a 4.7% gain. 

Options look like an affordable route for those looking to benefit from the security's next moves. This is per AEM's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 34%, which sits in the 13th percentile of its annual range. This indicates options traders are pricing in low volatility expectations.

Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL) is gearing up for its second-quarter earnings report, due out before the open Thursday, July 10. The airliner is expected to post revenue of $16.21 billion, representing a 5.3% year-over-year increase thanks to strength in international and premium travel sectors, and earnings of $2.07 per share. Ahead of the event, options traders are betting bullishly.

DAL has been turning its earnings luck around this year. The stock finished the past two post-earnings sessions higher following eight consecutive post-earnings losses, even surging 23.4% after its most recent April report. This time around, the options pits are pricing in an earnings swing of 9.5%, regardless of direction, which is larger than the 6.4% move the stock has averaged over the last two years. 

On the charts, a post-earnings win could push DAL above recent consolidation around the $52 level, as well as the 120-day moving average. Year to date, the equity is down 16.5%. 

The security's 10-day call/put volume ratio of 2.73 over at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) sits higher than 73% of readings from the past year. This means options traders have been much more optimistic than usual.

It's also worth noting that DAL has tended to outperform options traders' volatility expectations, per its Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) of 99 out of 100. 

Utility stock AES Corp (NYSE:AES) is surging today, up 16% at $12.84 at last glance, after reports that the company is exploring sale options amid takeover interest. The power sector has been drawing acquisition attention lately due to artificial intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency mining. 

Headed for its biggest single-day percentage gain since May 8, 2009, AES earlier hit its highest levels since March of this year before paring gains. There are several layers of potential resistance the stock is grappling with today: the year-to-date breakeven level, the 200-day moving average, and the $12.60 level -- the latter of which rejected the shares in April and May. 

Call traders are blasting AES after the news. So far, 36,000 calls have been exchanged -- 7 times the call volume typically seen at this point -- in comparison to 2,616 puts. The weekly 7/11 11.50-strike call is the most popular, followed by the 11-strike call in the same series. 

Calls have been popular over the last 10 weeks, too. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), AES' 50-day call/put volume ratio of 11.37 ranks higher than 80% of readings from the past year. 

AES tends to outperform options traders' volatility expectations, too. This is per its Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) reading of 96 out of 100. 

The shares of Schaeffer's 2025 Top Stock Pick Bloom Energy Corp (NYSE:BE) are up 12.5% to trade at $27.33 at last check, on the heels of an upgrade from J.P. Morgan to "overweight" from "neutral" and price-target hike to $33 from $18. The analyst noted fuel cell tax credits, higher factory absorption, as well as incremental pricing power.

There's room for additional firms to strike a bullish tone, as 11 of the 20 in question still sport a "hold" or worse rating. Plus, the 12-month consensus target price of $23.56 is a 14.2% discount to current levels. A short squeeze may also come into play, as 24.1% of the stock's available float is sold short, which is equivalent to nearly nine days worth of pent-up buying power.

The security is now pacing for its best single-day percentage gain since November, and hit its highest level since February right out of the gate. Support from the 20-day moving average has been guiding BE higher since May, helping it break past resistance at $24 last week. So far in 2025, the stock added 23.5%.

Options bulls are piling on today, with 9,524 calls across the tape -- 4 times the volume typically seen at this point -- compared to just 1,496 puts. The most popular contract is the July 28 call.

Premiums can still be had for a bargain, per Bloom Energy stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 33% that sits in the 12th percentile of readings from the past 12 months. This implies options players are pricing in lower-than-usual volatility expectations.

Beverage chain Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:SBUX) is up 1.6% to trade at $126.15, after CNBC reported the company's China leg is attracting bids of up to $10 billion. The equity would retain a 30% stake, with offers coming in from big names such as Centurium Capital, Hillhouse Capital, and Carlyle Group. 

Starbucks stock has been choppy on the charts this summer, with recent support stemming from its ascending 20-day moving average. Today's pop has SBUX trading at its highest level since April 2 and creating some separation from its year-to-date breakeven level. Over the past 12 months, the shares have climbed 30.5%.

Options traders have been bullish on the security. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OM X PHLX (PHLX), SBUX's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.11 ranks in the 98th percentile of annual readings. Echoing this, the security's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.88 stands in the 12th percentile of readings from the past 12 months. 

Options are looking affordable as well. This is per SBUX's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 29%, which sits in the 16th percentile of its annual range. This indicates options traders are pricing in low volatility expectations. It's also worth noting that the equity has tended to outperform these expectations during the past year, per its Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) of 98 out of 100.