Unusual Options Activity Signals Major Moves in MRK UNH VRT

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•  09 Oct 2025
 

•   CRC  
   
  -6.09%
•   MRK  
   
  -1.73%
•   UAMY  
   
  +12.33%
•   UNH  
   
  -3.59%
•   VRT  
   
  +0.08%

$MRK Merck & Co is seeing a distinctly bearish tilt from big money players. Large investors have taken substantial positions that suggest expectations of downward price movement in the pharmaceutical giant. The unusual options activity spotted on Benzinga's scanner reveals that sophisticated traders are positioning for potential weakness in MRK shares. Whether driven by concerns about pipeline developments, competitive pressures, or broader market dynamics, these bearish bets represent meaningful capital allocation that retail investors should monitor closely.

$UNH UnitedHealth Group is experiencing similar bearish sentiment from investors with substantial resources. Major traders have established positions indicating they expect downside movement in this healthcare insurance leader. The concentration of bearish options trades appearing in public options flow data suggests institutional or high-net-worth individuals are hedging exposure or outright betting against UNH's near-term prospects. Given UnitedHealth's market cap and importance in the healthcare sector, these moves warrant attention from traders watching for significant price catalysts.

$VRT Vertiv Holdings presents a particularly interesting case with 42 unusual options trades detected. The data reveals a mixed but notably bearish lean, with 40% of investors taking bearish positions versus 38% bullish. What's striking is the dollar allocation: traders deployed over $4.1 million into call options against just $147,000 in puts—yet the bearish sentiment dominates when looking at trade count and directional bias. This divergence suggests complex positioning strategies, possibly including bearish call spreads or other sophisticated approaches. For a company in the data center infrastructure space, this level of options activity indicates heightened expectations around upcoming catalysts.

$CRC California Resources is drawing attention from large investors taking bullish positions. The unusual options activity signals that money managers or wealthy individuals see upside potential in this energy sector player. When significant capital flows into bullish options on CRC, it often precedes news, earnings surprises, or sector rotation that benefits energy stocks.

$UAMY United States Antimony caught the eye of options traders with 12 unusual trades, showing a decidedly bullish tilt. Analysis reveals 66% of traders took bullish positions while 33% went bearish. The dollar breakdown is telling: $617,970 flowed into call options versus just $70,856 into puts. For a smaller-cap player in the antimony and precious metals space, this concentration of bullish options activity represents significant conviction that UAMY could see upward price movement.

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