IBM Calls Rise; Stocks End Flat
Stocks ended the day flat Friday despite some encouraging numbers that showed
home sales falling 9.8% in July. The top sectors of the day were biotechs and airlines while the weakest were banks and semiconductors.
At the close, the VIX was unchanged at 19.10.
The OEX 820 calls finished down 1 3/4 to 16 1/4.
Among bigger movers on heavier-than-average volume:
IBM
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PowerRating) was the top Dow stock of the day, rising 4 3/16 to 129. The IBM
October 130 calls rose 2 to 7 on more than 7000 contracts.
In the B2B space, FreeMarkets
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PowerRating) rose 6 1/4 to 64 1/4 on encouraging
comments from analysts. The FMKT September 65 calls rose 2 7/8 to 4 1/2 on five
times the average volume.
Telecom giant, Lucent
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PowerRating) rose 5/16 to 41 while the Lucent September 40
calls gained 7/16 to 2 7/16 on double the average volume.
Genentech
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PowerRating) gained 10 3/8 to 190 1/4 as the biotechs enjoyed more big
gains Friday. The DNA September 200 calls rose 1 7/8 to 2 3/4 on triple the
average volume.