Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML).

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 ASML, 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 21 uncommon options trades for ASML Holding.

This isn't normal.

The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 38% bullish and 61%, bearish.

Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 8 are puts, for a total amount of $337,926, and 13 are calls, for a total amount of $2,362,937.

Projected Price Targets

After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $740.0 and $1180.0 for ASML Holding, spanning the last three months.

Volume & Open Interest Development

In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of ASML Holding stands at 121.31, with a total volume reaching 885.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in ASML Holding, situated within the strike price corridor from $740.0 to $1180.0, throughout the last 30 days.

ASML Holding Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days

Largest Options Trades Observed:

About ASML Holding

ASML is the leader in photolithography systems used in the manufacturing of semiconductors. Photolithography is the process in which a light source is used to expose circuit patterns from a photo mask onto a semiconductor wafer. The latest technological advances in this segment allow chipmakers to continually increase the number of transistors on the same area of silicon, with lithography historically representing a high portion of the cost of making cutting-edge chips. ASML outsources the manufacturing of most of its parts, acting like an assembler. ASML's main clients are TSMC, Samsung, and Intel.

Following our analysis of the options activities associated with ASML Holding, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.

Present Market Standing of ASML Holding

• Trading volume stands at 416,059, with ASML's price up by 0.67%, positioned at $985.52.
• RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.
• Earnings announcement expected in 22 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 ASML Holding options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.