$MSFT option bulls rack up gains

Option bulls are being rewarded today with big profits on upside positions in Microsoft (MSFT).

On Apr. 2, Market Rebellion’s Unusual Activity Service found that 18,000 April $420 calls were bought for $7.55 to $8.00 above the existing open interest of 1,851 with shares at $381.35.

Those calls have traded for as much as $32.00 during this session, a 300% return, while the stock rose 14.57% in the same time frame, showing how options can far outperform their underlying shares on a relative basis.

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.

MSFT was last at $430.05, up 8.8% on the session.