IBM rides the quantum computing wave as traders snap up call options

Glonghui, May 22 — Currently, American traders are particularly enthusiastic about two types of investment directions: cutting-edge technology and the theme of a "strong comeback by traditional U.S. companies." The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on Thursday that it will provide a total of $2 billion in grants to nine quantum computing companies, with IBM receiving $1 billion and becoming the biggest beneficiary of this round of government grants. IBM later confirmed that the company will cooperate with the U.S. government to build America's first "dedicated quantum wafer foundry." Meanwhile, traders are rushing to buy IBM options. According to data from the Chicago Board Options Exchange, options traders flocked to this stock, trading nearly 200,000 contracts—15 times the average daily volume of the past 30 days. Trading volume for call options far surpassed that of put options by nearly 8:1. Among them, call options saw more than 42,000 purchases and 27,500 sales, while put options purchases were fewer than 4,000.