Monday's Exceptional Option Trading: Three Russell 3000 Stocks Command Investor Attention

WhaleStalker · 2026-01-12T17:35:21+00:00

Monday saw heightened options activity in select Russell 3000 stocks, particularly Build-A-Bear Workshop, Nu Holdings, and Invesco. Significant put buying for Build-A-Bear indicated bearish sentiment, while strong call volumes for Nu and Invesco pointed to bullish expectations, illustrating traders' strategic approaches in the derivatives market.

WhaleStalker

2026-01-12 17:35:21

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Options markets delivered outsized activity across select Russell 3000 components on Monday, with three stocks capturing significant institutional and retail trader interest through elevated contract volumes far exceeding baseline expectations.

Build-A-Bear Workshop: Retail Darling Draws Put Buying

Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc (BBW), the entertainment retail company whose very name—“Build-A-Bear” meaning a customizable plush toy creation experience—has become synonymous with experiential consumer spending, witnessed extraordinary derivative demand. Options traders executed 10,025 total contracts representing 1.0 million underlying shares. This single-day volume reached 202.8% of BBW’s 30-day average daily trading volume of 494,295 shares, signaling aggressive positioning.

The dominant trend emerged in June 2026 put options struck at $40, which accumulated 4,901 contracts (490,100 underlying shares). This concentration in out-of-the-money protective puts suggests hedging activity or bearish sentiment accumulation among derivative participants.

Nu Holdings: Brazilian Fintech Attracts Call Volume

Nu Holdings Ltd (NU) displayed even more dramatic options market engagement, with 495,669 contracts trading through the session—representing 49.6 million underlying shares. This volume equated to 146.9% of NU’s monthly average daily turnover of 33.7 million shares, underscoring robust speculative interest in the digital banking platform.

January 2026 $18 strike calls dominated activity, accumulating 54,999 contracts equivalent to 5.5 million shares. This bullish call concentration reflects investor conviction regarding NU’s upside potential in the fintech sector.

Invesco: Asset Manager Options See Measured Interest

Invesco Ltd (IVZ) registered 63,393 option contracts representing 6.3 million underlying shares, translating to 125.1% of its 5.1 million-share monthly average volume. While lower in absolute terms than BBW and NU, the deviation still signified noteworthy derivative positioning.

January 2026 $27 strike calls led the activity slate with 31,388 contracts (3.1 million shares), suggesting tactical bullish positioning among options traders regarding the asset management company’s near-term prospects.

Market Takeaway

Monday’s concentrated options activity across these three securities reflects the ongoing preference among derivatives traders for earnings hedges and directional exposure building through call and put strategies.

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