Nvidia Corp. NVDA shares have surged since the beginning of 2023, thanks to the AI phenomenon sparked by OpenAI‘s ChatGPT. However, concerns are rising about potential reckless speculation driving some of this growth.
Evaluating Risk in the Rising Stock
A recent Bloomberg report indicates that Nvidia’s stock is catching the attention of “YOLO” traders – individuals making high-risk, high-reward bets.
The report highlights a surge in options trading on Monday, with over 24,000 call contracts being purchased. These contracts have a strike price of $1,940, nearly double the current stock price. The relatively small purchase sizes suggest that retail investors are behind this activity, echoing the meme-stock frenzy of 2021.
While Nvidia is a well-established leader, this buying spree raises concerns about a potential bubble forming in the market.
“Nvidia has been a go-to choice for investors looking to capitalize on the AI trend. Now, with retail investors making intriguing moves during the Nvidia AI developer conference, questions about market stability arise,” noted Michael Beth of WallachBeth Capital LLC, as reported by Bloomberg.
This market activity coincides with Nvidia’s GTC 2024 conference, a prominent event in the AI industry.
See Also: Best Artificial Intelligence Stocks
Assessing Hedging Strategies vs. Speculation
The report also acknowledges that professional traders might be using options as part of a hedging strategy. Chris Murphy of Susquehanna International Group suggests that these trading activities could be a calculated move by seasoned investors.
Despite the varied motivations behind these trades, data reveals a significant volume of call contracts being acquired on Monday, making it one of the most actively traded contracts concerning Nvidia stock.
Amid AI Excitement, Investor Skepticism Persists
Interestingly, the opening keynote of Nvidia’s GTC 2024 conference by CEO Jensen Huang did not spark the overwhelmingly positive response some investors expected. In fact, the stock price dipped over 1.5% in after-hours trading despite a modest gain during regular trading hours. This reaction was seen as a classic “sell the news” response by some analysts, who remain optimistic about Nvidia’s long-term potential in the AI sector and its ability to deliver robust earnings growth.
During premarket trading on Tuesday, Nvidia was down by 1.45% at a price of $884.55, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Read Next: ‘Nothing Short Of Amazing:’ Nvidia Analysts Praise AI Chipmaker’s GTC Unveilings, But Stock Dips As Investors Digest News
Photo via Shutterstock
