Here are some updates on the trades we are following.

AutoZone (AZO, $86.93, down $7.32)

November 95 puts (AZOWS, $8.60, up $4.80) were profiled at 90 cents and traded as low as 75 cents on Tuesday. Sell them right now. If you were brave enough to roll with these November put options your return is up over 800%. Close them today as the contracts expire on Friday.

December 95 puts (AZOXS, $14.70, up $3.30) were profiled at $5.40. Sell 75% of your position today and let the other 25% ride. The return is 175%.

December 75 puts (AZOXU, $6.20, up $1.70) were going for $1.80. I said to buy them up to $2.00 and if you got into this trade, you can bank the 250% return. Close 75%, keep the other 25% open.

Baidu.com (BIDU, $106.05, down $5.69)

November 100 puts (BDQWT, $5.40, up $1.90) were going for $2.50. Close the trade.
December 100 puts (BDQXT, $16.70, up $2.00) are up from $8.75. Close the trade.

Although we were on the sidelines with Baidu, some of you may have rolled the dice on this one. Take your profits and run to the hills.

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF, $14.75, up $0.20)

The stock made another fresh 52-week low yesterday and this trade is pretty close to reaching max potential.

November 22.50 puts (ZWRWX, $7.80, up $0.30) were profiled at $3.30. Close the entire position today.

December 17.50 puts (ZWRXW, $4.00, up $0.30) are up from $1.70. These put options were our main focus and we have done well with them. We are up 135%. You could set stops at $3.40 but you would be giving up profits if ANF reverses course.

Apple (AAPL, $80.00, down $6.29)

I mentioned Apple last Thursday and although it has taken a little longer than expected, the stock is breaking down like a rented mule. The December 80 puts (QAAXP, $8.00, up $2.40) are up 57% from our entry price of $5.10. Set atops at $7.65 to ensure a 50% return.

Google (GOOG, $270.00, down $10.18)

On November 12, I had mentioned the November 280 puts (GGDWP, $16.00, up $7.40) at $6.00 and they traded above $12. We had set stops at $11.00 and we were stopped out of the trade earlier this week.

The December 240 puts (GOUXH, $15.00, up $3.70) were trading at $6.60 and we had set a stop of $9.00 for the position. Raise the stop to $12-$13 and sell 75% of the position if these levels are hit today.

The market looks like it is going to test its low as the Dow is down over 100 points to 7,820. The thing to watch for here is a bounce off the October 10 low of 7,773. If we don’t get a convincing bounce then we could be setting up for a faded rally. If we test the low, bounce, and come right back down then we can expect more weakness.

The market is at a pivital point and we should get a clear direction of which way we are heading by Friday’s close.

Rick Rouse
Rick@OptionsMentoring.com

Baidu.com (BIDU, $134.09, down $44.80) took a pounding today as the China-based Internet search engine company saw its shares decline 25%. A report that Baidu sold paid listing links to unlicensed medical sites with unproven claims for their products weighed heavy on the stock.

The news crippled an already weak stock to begin with and the fact that China has been hit by scandals related to contaminated food and drugs was a one-two punch that floored Baidu. The reaction may have been extreme but when Baidu fell below $200 last week, the damage was done. The news just accelerated Baidu’s quick ascent to what now appears like a test of the $100 level.

The break below the $200 level was big for Baidu and today’s test of the $130 level was the last line of support for Baidu until $100. Just how serious is a threat of $100 a share? Considering there was plenty of action in the November 100 puts (BDQWT, $2.50, up $2.45) there are some option traders who say the chances are pretty good. Believe it or not, these put options were up an astounding 4,900% as over 7,000 contracts traded hands. Open interest stood at less than 1,000 contracts for these contracts before today. The puts opened for less than a quarter…

The December 100 puts (BDQXT, $8.75, up $7.15) also had a monster day as they opened at $2.60 and were up 450% from Friday’s close of $1.60. Both options are a little expensive now as you would imagine and there may be a snap-back rally in the stock before it tests the $100 level. Then again, the stock could hold support here and never test $100.

Either way, the easy money has already been made with Baidu but there may be another opportunity for us down the road. Let’s stay on the sidelines for this one until we get a clearer picture.

Rick Rouse
Rick@OptionsMentoring.com