Options trading data for Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) suggests a sizable investor has adopted a bearish perspective on the financial giant. A closer examination of the trading history reveals 11 unusual trades.
In these unusual trades, it’s clear that investor sentiment is divided – 36% of investors appear bullish, initiating optimistic trades, while the majority at 63% lean towards a bearish outlook. The breakdown of these trades shows 5 put options totaling $285,750 and 6 call options totaling $444,256.
Morgan Stanley’s Price Range Forecast
Assessing the volume and open interest of these contracts, market whales seem to be forecasting a price range for Morgan Stanley between $80.0 and $110.0 for the upcoming three months.
Volume & Open Interest Insights
Insight into volume and open interest data is instrumental in due diligence. Such metrics help track liquidity and interest for the options of Morgan Stanley at specific strike prices. Over the last 30 days, significant activity has been noted within the strike price range of $80.0 to $110.0.
Spotlight on the Largest Options Trades
Here are the biggest trades observed:
A bullish call sweep with an expiry on 01/19/24 at a strike price of $80.00, with a total trade value of $236.3K.
Two bearish put sweeps, both with an expiry on 06/21/24 at a strike price of $85.00, one valued at $119.5K and the other at $88.1K.
Two bearish call sweeps with an expiry on 10/20/23 at a strike price of $87.50, one valued at $49.7K and the other at $47.8K.
Morgan Stanley’s Current Position
At present, Morgan Stanley’s stock is trading at $95.31, showing an increase of 1.38% with a volume of 2,729,060. RSI indicators suggest that the stock may be in overbought territory. The next earnings report is anticipated in 81 days.
Expert Opinions on Morgan Stanley
Financial experts offer varied views on Morgan Stanley:
JP Morgan has maintained an Overweight rating on Morgan Stanley, with a price target of $91.
Odeon Capital has upgraded its stance to Buy with a price target of $94.
Oppenheimer retains an Outperform rating on Morgan Stanley, with a price target of $110.
BMO Capital also maintains an Outperform rating on Morgan Stanley, with a price target of $103.
Though options trading entails greater risk compared to traditional stock trading, it also offers the potential for higher profits. Successful options traders mitigate these risks by staying educated, employing a scaling strategy, following multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movement.