The Options Screener

Here's a look at some unusual directional call and put activity. As always, this presentation is not a recommendation to buy or sell any securities, but is made for informational purposes as I continue to beta test my screener.

The image above is call activity:

American (AMR) and Continental (CAL) both had active options trading days and popped up on the screener.

The king of beers, Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. (BUD), saw very active trading, not only in the strike above but in the June 50 & 55s as well as the July 55 calls. Speculators continue to react to this news that hit earlier in the week: Anheuser-Busch Shares Higher On Ackman Activist Target Speculation.

On no news, there was a flurry of activity in the October calls of Bally Technologies (BYI).

Skipping down to Medtronic (MDT), options were active on the call side amid hopes that its Talent Thoracic Stent Graft System will soon receive FDA approval following positive 12 month test results.

An accounting fine for Nortel (NT) boosted options activity on Friday.

Schwab (SCHW) options have been active amid talk of mergers in the online brokerage industry.

On Triad (TRI) it looks like a straddle involving 7000 calls and 7000 puts on the July 50 strike.

VIX June 22.5 calls actively trading Friday, though its hard to discern direction on all trade. There were enough buys in there, however, to indicate someone decided to throw a little money toward what would be a lottery ticket bet that another big leg down in the market will be coming in the next 10 days (VIX options expire on 6/19, not this coming Friday).

Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU), actually saw more putside activity, but some bets placed on the call side as well.