Options Market Statistics: MicroStrategy Surges on Bitcoin Strength and Analyst Optimism, Options Pop

1. $MicroStrategy (MSTR.US)$ shares surged 11.60% Friday to close at $215.86. Bitcoin has risen 1.2% in the past 24 hours to $68,351, reaching a new two-month high. Benchmark has upgraded its price target from $215 to $245, citing the company's effective use of its bitcoin assets and strong performance in its foundational software operations. Analyst Mark Palmer pointed out that the market has yet to fully appreciate MicroStrategy's unique strategy. The company employs "intelligent leverage" to enhance returns from its Bitcoin investments, distinguishing it from other Bitcoin investment methods. This strategy sets MicroStrategy apart from conventional bitcoin exposure options such as spot bitcoin ETFs.

2. $Netflix (NFLX.US)$ shares surged 11.09% Friday to close at $763.89, hitting an all-time high after reporting solid earnings. Netflix announced several successful releases this quarter, including "The Perfect Couple" featuring Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber, which garnered 65.2 million views. The romantic comedy "Nobody Wants This," starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, attracted 37 million viewers. Several analysts have subsequently increased their price targets for Netflix, attributing this to its dominant position in the streaming market. JPMorgan analysts have named it a "top pick." Furthermore, Bank of America raised its price target to $800 from $740, describing Netflix as “one of the best positioned companies within media.”

3. $Apple (AAPL.US)$ shares rose 1.23% Friday to close at $235.00, buoyed by a report from Counterpoint Research highlighting robust initial sales of the iPhone 16 in China, the foremost global smartphone market. According to Counterpoint, sales of the iPhone 16 in China experienced a 20% increase in the first three weeks after launch compared to the models released in 2023. Notably, the premium iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max models have seen a significant uptick in popularity. Their combined sales surged by 44% relative to their 2023 counterparts.

There was a noteworthy activity in $JetBlue Airways (JBLU.US)$, where $8.00 calls have topped volume to open interest ranking. The highest volume over open interest ratio reaches 308.5x with 88,829 contracts.

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