High Options Volume

Emerging markets are hot this morning with two strikes from the iShares MSCI Emerging Market ETF (NYSE: EEM) atop the high option volume list. The EEM Apr11 51 Call with a last of 3 cents had traded 226,002 contracts while sister EEM Apr11 49 Call with a last at 25 cents had traded 135,420 contracts.

Also seeing action in options were a number of SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSE: SPY) strikes. The SPY itself was up a modest 0.27 but traders liked the SPY Apr 127 Puts with a last of 70 cents. The strike traded 80,308 contracts. Also active were the SPY1Q 127 Puts with nearly 74,000 contracts traded and a last sale of 10 cents.

The CBOE Volatility Index (CBOE: VIX) had option volume of 88,451.

Stocks – Big Daily Change in Option Volume

Signet Jewelers (NYSE: SIG) has seen its options volume rise this morning to 1083, a rise of more than 3600%, while Walter Investment Management (AMEX: WAC) had option volume of 7479, a rise of more than 2,200%. Harmony Gold (NYSE: HMY) reported option volume of 21,132, an increase of 1,300%.

News Corp. (NASDAQ: NWS) rising .13 to 18.21 while its option volume rose nearly 950% to 2,561 contracts. The Yanzhou Coal Mining Co. (NYSE: YZC) say option volume rise over 800% to 2,846

Stocks – Big Daily Change in Open Interest

Biggest mover here was Triangle Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: TPLM) with its open interest jumping 1,232% to 2,129 and the stock selling at $8. Other major changes were Three D Systems (NASDAQ: TDSC), with its open interest rising 1,222% to 1,245, and BroadSoft (NASDAQ: BSFT) seeing open interest rise more than 1,000% to 5,062.

More active option stocks with open interest jumps included Vitamin Shoppe Inc. (NYSE: VSI) rising nearly 360% to 17,463, and CompuCredit Holdings (NASDAQ: CCRT) rising 283% to 32,334.