Index, ETF option volumes near midday
Total option volume is closing in on 6 million contracts today as the index and ETF action is mixed, according to optionMONSTER's data systems.
The SPDR S&P 500 Fund (NYSEArca:SPY) has 730,000 contracts traded, 471,000 of which are puts. The PowerShares QQQ Trust (NasdaqGM:QQQ) is next up with 284,000 options, evenly split between calls and puts.
Just behind are the iShares Russell 2000 Fund (NYSEArca:IWM) options with 261,000, with 170,000 puts. The iShares EAFE Index Fund (NYSEArca:EFA) has 218,000 contracts changing hands, 213,000 of which are puts, mainly in one May put spread.
The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Fund (NYSEArca:DIA) has 203,000 options traded, though this includes one very large trade that could be a system error.
The S&P 500 Index (SPX) options have turned over 187,000 times, with a put/call ratio of almost 3 to 1. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), which is derived from those SPX options, has had 104,000 of its own contracts trade and is seeing slightly more puts than calls.
The iShares Emerging Markets Fund (NYSEArca:EEM) has 144,000 options changing hands, 104,000 of which are puts.
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