Morning Stock Market Movers: Human Genome Sciences, Ford Motor, LDK Solar

HGSI - Human Genome Sciences, Inc. - Option implied volatility on the biopharmaceutical company plummeted 67% to 73% on news its experimental lupus drug, Benlysta, was successful in a second large clinical trial. Shares are trading nearly 35% higher to $25.13 as of 9:55 am (EDT). Option traders exchanged more than 65,000 contracts on HGSI within the first 25 minutes of the trading session.

F - Ford Motor Co. - Shares of the automobile manufacturer are up 9.5% to $7.67 following better-than-expected third-quarter earnings released ahead of the opening bell this morning. Ford posted its first quarterly profit in more than a year, smashing average street estimates of a loss of 12 cents, by posting earnings of 26 cents per share. Option implied volatility contracted 16% to 55% following earnings.

LDK - LDK Solar Co., Ltd. - Investor uncertainty on the manufacturer of solar wafers is soaring on news Q-Cells - one of the world’s biggest makers of solar cells - terminated a wafer supply agreement with the company. Option implied volatility jumped 21% to 101% by 10:10 am (EDT) while shares of LDK slumped more than 18% to $5.55. Traders exchanging approximately 8,700 put options at the December 4.0 strike are perhaps bracing for further declines by expiration next month. If these puts land in-the-money by expiration, shares of LDK will have fallen to within 25 cents of the current 52-week low at $3.75, attained back on March 12, 2009.

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