AOL Calls Jump; Nasdaq Rallies

Semiconductors powered a Nasdaq rally Wednesday that took the average up 1.9%
by the close. Joining semis as the day’s top sector were Internets and telecom.
Integrated oils, oil services, and banks were the weakest sectors of the day.

For the day, the VIX decreased .61 to 23.78.

The OEX October 770 calls closed up 1 to 10.

Among bigger movers on heavier-than-average volume:

America Online
(
AOL |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
gained 3.30 to 58.65 as Internets rallied. The AOL
November 60 calls gained 1.70 to 3.40 on more than 20,000 contracts.

Extreme Networks
(
EXTR |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
bounced back from its three-day slump and gained
11 1/2 to 107 3/4. The Extreme Networks October 115 calls jumped 4 15/16 to 6
3/4 on five times the average volume.

Qualcomm
(
QCOM |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
gained 5 15/16 to 78 7/16 as it touched levels not seen
since June. The Qualcomm October 75 calls rose 2 5/8 to 5 7/8 on more than
13,000 contracts.

Nortel Networks
(
NT |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
added 1 1/4 to 63 5/8 while the Nortel December 55
puts gained 1/2 to 3 7/8 on more than 10,000 contracts.