Surge in Options Trading: Altria, Walmart, and Starbucks Capture Attention

Options trading volumes spike for major companies, indicating investor interest.

Among the underlying components of the S&P 500 index, Altria Group Inc (Symbol: MO) stands out with a remarkable options trading volume today. A total of 46,690 contracts have exchanged hands, equating to approximately 4.7 million underlying shares. This activity represents around 61.9% of MO’s average daily trading volume over the past month, which was recorded at 7.5 million shares. Notably, the $55 strike call option set to expire on November 15, 2024, has seen heightened interest, with 35,555 contracts trading today, amounting to about 3.6 million underlying shares of MO. Below is a chart depicting MO’s trailing twelve-month trading history, with the $55 strike highlighted in orange:

Walmart Inc (Symbol: WMT) has recorded an impressive options volume of 65,057 contracts today. This number translates to roughly 6.5 million underlying shares, accounting for 56.3% of WMT’s average daily trading volume of 11.5 million shares over the past month. The $85 strike call option, expiring on November 08, 2024, particularly caught the attention of investors, with 5,734 contracts trading today—equating to about 573,400 underlying shares of WMT. Below is a chart reflecting WMT’s trailing twelve-month trading history, with the $85 strike highlighted in orange:

Starbucks Corp. (Symbol: SBUX) also experienced significant options activity with 40,079 contracts traded today, accounting for approximately 4.0 million underlying shares. This figure represents about 50.9% of SBUX’s average daily trading volume, noted at 7.9 million shares over the past month. The $97 strike call option expiring on November 08, 2024, drew substantial attention, with 15,266 contracts trading, translating to around 1.5 million underlying shares of SBUX. Below is a chart showcasing SBUX’s trailing twelve-month trading history, with the $97 strike highlighted in orange:

To explore various available expirations for options on MO, WMT, or SBUX, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.

Discover Today’s Most Active Call & Put Options of the S&P 500 »

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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.