Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC).

And retail traders should know.

We noticed this today when the positions 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 MPC, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.

Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for Marathon Petroleum.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 37% bullish and 50%, bearish.

Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $154,253, and 7, calls, for a total amount of $912,541.

Projected Price Targets

Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $165.0 to $185.0 for Marathon Petroleum over the recent three months.

Insights into Volume & Open Interest

Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Marathon Petroleum's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Marathon Petroleum's significant trades, within a strike price range of $165.0 to $185.0, over the past month.

Marathon Petroleum Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days

Significant Options Trades Detected:

About Marathon Petroleum

Marathon Petroleum is an independent refiner with 13 refineries in the midcontinent, West Coast, and Gulf Coast of the United States with total throughput capacity of 3.0 million barrels per day. Its Dickinson, North Dakota, facility produces 184 million gallons a year of renewable diesel. Its Martinez, California, facility will have the ability to produce 730 million gallons a year of renewable diesel once converted. The firm also owns and operates midstream assets primarily through its listed master limited partnership, MPLX.

After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Marathon Petroleum, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.

Present Market Standing of Marathon Petroleum

• With a volume of 537,889, the price of MPC is up 0.9% at $173.04.
• RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.
• Next earnings are expected to be released in 11 days.

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 Marathon Petroleum options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.