Call Options Fly Off the Shelves at AIG

  Today’s tickers: AIG, CAT, DTV, WPI, PBR, DNR, V & M AIG  - American International Group, Inc. –  The insurer’s shares rallied as much as 12.2% today to touch an intraday- and new 2-year high of $60.96 on news the firm secured $4.3 billion in bank credit lines. Mounting confidence in the insurance company along with the rising value of AIG shares inspired bullish options traders to purchase in- and out-of-the-money calls today. Weeklies were popular with options traders expecting to see shares end the year on a high note. Investors picked up more than 2,900 now in-the-money calls at the December ’31 $57.5 strike for an average premium of $0.93 each, and coveted upwards of 2,900 in-the-money call options at the higher December ’31 $60 strike at an average premium of $0.51 a-pop. Optimistic individuals also purchased some 1,300 call options at the December ’31 $65 strike for an average premium of $0.27 apiece. Options strategists looked to the January 2011 contract to place bullish bets, as well. Notable in-the-money call buying was observed here, as well as fresh interest in calls at the January 2011 $62.5 strike where more than 1,700 contracts were purchased for an average premium of $1.46 each. The sharp increase in demand for American International Group calls pushed the overall reading of options implied volatility on the stock higher by 25.2% to 50.30% in the final 15 minutes of the trading day. CAT  - Caterpillar, Inc. –  It looks like some options investors expect the machinery maker’s shares to trend higher at the start of 2011. CAT-bulls are buying call options in the January 2011 contract this afternoon despite the 0.45% decline in the price of the underlying stock to $94.04. Options traders exchanged more than 7,200 calls at the January 2011 $95 strike by 3:10pm in New York trade. It looks like the majority, or approximately 5,300 of the call options, were purchased for an average premium of $1.58 a-pop. Call buyers make money if CAT’s shares rally more…