$FXI call prices spike

Bullish option traders are scoring a big win in upside positions on the iShares China Large-Cap Fund (FXI) today.

On Aug. 13, Market Rebellion’s Unusual Activity Service found that 10,000 Weekly $30 calls, expiring Dec. 31, were bought for $0.35 with shares at $25.77. This was clearly fresh buying, as open interest in the strike was just 1,569 contracts before the activity appeared.

Those calls changed hands for as much as $3.25 today, an 828.57% return, while the stock rose 23.98% in the same time frame, underscoring how quickly options can far outperform their underlying shares.

Long calls lock in the price where investors can buy a stock, letting them position for a rally at limited cost with the potential for significant leverage. They carry less risk than owning shares because the most that can be lost is the price of the options no matter how far the stock might fall.

FXI was last higher by 7.26% at $31.70.