BP Options Bets… Going to $10?

BP plc (NYSE: BP) is under fire, as if that is not the understatement of the decade.  While shares fell over 16% and were headed to close close to $29.00 today there was a hell of an options trading pattern in the PUT options.  BP had explosive options trading down all the way in the PUT contracts under $20 and even down to $10 and lower…. This is the data shortly before the closing bell just on the JUNE-2010 CALLS alone:

If you look, that is a first for options trading.  The prior open interest was listed as a whopping 5 contracts spread out among the $7.50 to $15.00 PUT strikes before today.  Many of these are sure to be just extremely low probability high-risk vs. high-reward scenarios.  Still, it will make you wonder….

JON C. OGG

Volume Spike on Patent Troll Alert: Rambus/Micron (RMBS, MU)

Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ:RMBS) has been weak for part of the trading day, although some of this data was assumed to be known after a prior delay.

The company has confirmed that it has received notification from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ordering the rehearing of arguments to take place on October 7, 2010, following an initial hearing held in April 2010 in the cases with Hynix Semiconductor and Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU).

All Rambus’ general counsel noted was as follows: “In spite of this delay, we remain confident in our position. We will vigorously argue our right to defend and be fairly compensated for use of our patented innovations borne of years of work by Rambus scientists and engineers.”

Rambus At 1:30 PM EST we have Rambus shares down 13% at $19.05 on 9.6 million shares, versus an average volume of less than 2 million shares and versus a trading range today of $18.93 â€" $22.75.  Micron is up 3.15% at $8.81 on 16.7 million shares, which is actually fairly low trading volume for when it has big news.

JON C. OGG