Unusual Options Activity Signals Big Moves in the Market

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•  26 Mar 2025
 

Traders watching the options market closely have seen significant moves today in several high-profile stocks, with large institutional players making aggressive bets. These trades hint at potential big shifts ahead, as deep-pocketed investors position themselves for possible breakouts or corrections.

One of the most striking options activities today occurred in Astera Labs ($ALAB), where large-scale transactions suggest that someone with substantial capital is anticipating a major event. While it's unclear whether these trades come from institutions or wealthy individuals, the sheer size of the options volume points to confidence in an impending move.

Amazon ($AMZN) also saw a surge in unusual options activity, with a mix of bearish and bullish bets. Notably, 54% of the activity was bearish, with a total of 44 unusual trades hitting the tape. Puts worth nearly $600K and calls exceeding $1.8M indicate a tug-of-war between traders expecting a downturn and those looking for a rebound. Given Amazon’s recent volatility, this options activity suggests that big money is preparing for a sharp move in either direction.

In the renewable energy sector, Bloom Energy ($BE) saw an overwhelmingly bearish sentiment, with 90% of observed trades favoring downside protection. Out of 10 detected trades, eight were calls worth $495K, while two were puts totaling $111K. This suggests that while some traders are hedging for a drop, others might be speculating on a recovery.

Another notable move came from Chipotle Mexican Grill ($CMG), where high-value investors have taken an unusually bearish stance. Large-scale bets on the downside are uncommon for such a strong performer in the restaurant space, which suggests traders are positioning for a potential pullback—possibly due to earnings concerns or macroeconomic pressures.

Meanwhile, Core Scientific ($CORZ) saw 35 significant trades, with 65% of the volume leaning bearish. The bulk of these transactions were puts, totaling over $2.1M, compared to $723K in call volume. This stark imbalance suggests that institutional traders are bracing for downside risk in the cryptocurrency mining company.

Discover Financial ($DFS) was another name where deep-pocketed traders were making moves, with a clearly bearish lean. Similar sentiment was seen in Eaton Corp ($ETN), where large put contracts were detected, signaling potential institutional concern over the stock’s near-term performance.

On the bullish side, Dollar Tree ($DLTR) attracted significant buying interest, with 45% of trades bullish versus 41% bearish. The options volume pointed to strong conviction among investors looking for upside in the stock, likely betting on a favorable earnings outlook or continued strength in consumer spending.

GEO Group ($GEO) and Lemonade ($LMND) also saw meaningful options activity, with institutional traders making mixed bets. While half of the traders in LMND showed bullish sentiment, Lockheed Martin ($LMT) leaned slightly bullish as well, with call volume outpacing puts.

In the materials sector, Nucor ($NUE) saw a significant bearish shift, with large put contracts suggesting expectations of a pullback. Similarly, SoundHound AI ($SOUN) experienced a bearish bias, with 50% of detected trades being put options.

Finally, T-Mobile ($TMUS) saw an increase in unusual options activity, though the direction remains uncertain as traders appear to be taking both bullish and bearish positions in anticipation of potential catalysts.