Large Put Play Reflects Investor Optimism on General Electric Co.

Today’s tickers: GE, XLE, DOW, BP, SKX, IYR, ZION, RIG, AA & NTRI GE - General Electric Co. – Shares of diverse conglomerate, General Electric Company, slipped 3.85% during afternoon trading to stand at $18.52 with one hour remaining in the session. Although a great deal of bearish activity took place on GE today, there was one sizeable contrarian options play on the stock that stuck out like a sore thumb. One investor, who apparently does not anticipate an all-out collapse in the price of the underlying stock, shed 19,000 puts at the December $14 strike to pocket a premium of $0.52 per contract. The trader keeps the full amount of premium received on the put sale, which adds up to a grand total of $988,000.00, as long as GE’s shares trade above $14.00 through expiration day in December. The investor receives the premium in exchange for bearing the risk that shares of the underlying stock do not exceed $14.00 through expiration. If the December $14 strike puts land in-the-money at expiration, the trader is apparently willing to have 1.9 million GE shares put to him at an effective price of $13.48 apiece. Shares would need to plummet 27% from the current price of $18.52 before the put-seller starts to amass losses beneath the breakeven share price of $13.48. Options implied volatility on General Electric Co. is up 15% to 31.94% ahead of the closing bell. XLE - Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF – Two options strategies representing opposing sentiment on future share price moves for the XLE were enacted today in the June contract. One of the transactions, a ratio call spread, is bullish and positions one investor to benefit should shares of the underlying fund rally sharply by expiration. The other trade, a short straddle, yields maximum benefits to the responsible party if shares settle at $59.00 by expiration. Shares of the XLE, an exchange-traded fund that seeks investment results which correspond to the price and yield performance of the Energy Select Sector of the S&P 500 Index, fell 2.75% to $58.93 as of 3:15 pm (ET). The bullish trader responsible for the ratio call spread purchased 3,500 calls at the June $61 strike for an average premium of $1.36 apiece, and sold 7,000 calls at the higher June $64 strike for roughly $0.49 apiece. The net cost of the ratio spread amounts to $0.38 per contract, and thus positions the options…