The SPDR S&P 500 Fund (SPY) has 606,000 contracts, with 385,000 puts. Next up are the iShares Russell 2000 Fund (IWM) options at 251,000 as puts outpace calls by 3 to 1. Not far behind are the S&P 500 Index (SPX) contracts at 228,000, including 147,000 puts. The iShares Emerging Markets Fund (EEM) also tops 200,000, with a put/call ratio of about 2 to 1.
The S&P Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Fund (XOP) has 135,000 contracts traded, and all but 3,000 of them are puts. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) has 126,000, with calls outnumbering puts by 3 to 1. The PowerShares QQQ Trust (QQQ) sees 90,000 options changing hands, also with a put/call ratio of 2 to 1. And the SPDR Technology Fund (XLK) has 83,000 options traded, with 77,000 calls.
