Spotlight on Shell: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Shell SHEL.

And retail traders should know.

We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.

Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with SHEL, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.

So how do we know what these investors just did?

Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 uncommon options trades for Shell.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 37% bullish and 62%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 4 are puts, for a total amount of $533,479, and 4 are calls, for a total amount of $245,242.

Projected Price Targets

Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $60.0 to $75.0 for Shell over the recent three months.

Insights into Volume & Open Interest

Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.

This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Shell's options for a given strike price.

Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Shell's whale activity within a strike price range from $60.0 to $75.0 in the last 30 days.

Shell Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview

Options Call Chart

Largest Options Trades Observed:

Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume
SHEL PUT TRADE BEARISH 01/16/26 $12.4 $12.1 $12.4 $75.00 $243.0K 282 196
SHEL PUT TRADE BEARISH 12/18/26 $6.0 $5.8 $6.0 $60.00 $198.0K 14 330
SHEL CALL SWEEP BULLISH 11/15/24 $2.5 $2.35 $2.45 $65.00 $127.1K 491 519
SHEL PUT SWEEP BEARISH 10/18/24 $2.6 $2.55 $2.6 $67.00 $52.1K 4 203
SHEL CALL SWEEP BEARISH 10/04/24 $0.5 $0.45 $0.45 $67.00 $47.5K 9 1.0K

About Shell

Shell is an integrated oil and gas company that explores for, produces, and refines oil around the world. In 2023, it produced 1.5 million barrels of liquids and 7.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. At end-2023, reserves stood at 9.6 billion barrels of oil equivalent, 49% of which, consisted of liquids. Its production and reserves are in Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and North and South America. The company operates refineries with capacity of 1.6 mmb/d located in the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe and sells about 12 million tons per year of chemicals. Its largest chemical plants, often integrated with its local refineries, are in Central Europe, China, Singapore, and North America.

Having examined the options trading patterns of Shell, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance

Shell's Current Market Status

  • With a volume of 6,744,239, the price of SHEL is down -3.57% at $65.59.
  • RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be oversold.
  • Next earnings are expected to be released in 35 days.

Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move

Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access.

Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Shell options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.

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