Unusual Options Activity: JCP, K, ARIA, and ACI

Arch Coal Inc (NYSE:ACI) puts were a prime target as the stock took a tumble

Josh Selway

Sep 1, 2015 at 4:45 PM

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The Dow got buried today, ending with a 469-point loss. Across all 12 options exchanges, 7.3 million calls crossed, compared to 9.1 million puts. The day's put/call volume ratio closed at 1.24.

J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) call volume rose to three times the average, as the retailer shrugged off a negative start to end 1.7% higher. Meanwhile, cereal maven Kellogg Company's (NYSE:K) calls also changed hands at triple the usual rate.

On the put side, Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARIA) saw volume rise to nearly five times the norm, as the stock continued to pare last Friday's M&A-inspired gains. Elsewhere, puts for Arch Coal Inc (NYSE:ACI) crossed at eight times the average rate, as coal stocks got battered.

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