<p>Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on <strong>Vale</strong> (NYSE:VALE).</p>
<p>And retail traders should know.</p>
<p>We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.</p>
<p>Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with VALE, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.</p>
<p>Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 9 options trades for <strong>Vale</strong>.</p>
<p>This isn't normal.</p>
<p>The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 66% bullish and 33%, bearish.</p>
<p>Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $31,000, and 8, calls, for a total amount of $413,886.</p>
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
<p>Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $10.0 to $17.0 for Vale over the last 3 months. </p>
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
<p>Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Vale's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Vale's significant trades, within a strike price range of $10.0 to $17.0, over the past month.</p>
<h3>Vale Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<p><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1766422922_0.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="Options Call Chart" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1766422922_0.png"/></p>

<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>
<p></p><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><strong>Symbol</strong></th>
<th><strong>PUT/CALL</strong></th>
<th><strong>Trade Type</strong></th>
<th><strong>Sentiment</strong></th>
<th><strong>Exp. Date</strong></th>
<th><strong>Ask</strong></th>
<th><strong>Bid</strong></th>
<th><strong>Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Strike Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Total Trade Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Open Interest</strong></th>
<th><strong>Volume</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>VALE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/21/28</td>
<td>$0.93</td>
<td>$0.64</td>
<td>$0.93</td>
<td>$17.00</td>
<td>$93.0K</td>
<td>2.7K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VALE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$3.5</td>
<td>$3.45</td>
<td>$3.5</td>
<td>$10.00</td>
<td>$73.5K</td>
<td>10.2K</td>
<td>413</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VALE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$3.4</td>
<td>$3.35</td>
<td>$3.4</td>
<td>$10.00</td>
<td>$68.0K</td>
<td>10.2K</td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VALE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$0.4</td>
<td>$0.39</td>
<td>$0.4</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$50.5K</td>
<td>33.0K</td>
<td>5.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VALE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$0.4</td>
<td>$0.39</td>
<td>$0.4</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$40.0K</td>
<td>33.0K</td>
<td>10.0K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table><p></p>
<h3>About Vale</h3>
<p>Vale is a large global miner and the world's largest producer of iron ore and pellets. In recent years the company has sold noncore assets such as its fertilizer, coal, and steel operations to concentrate on iron ore, nickel, and copper. Earnings are dominated by the bulk materials division, primarily iron ore and iron ore pellets. The base metals division is much smaller, consisting of nickel mines and smelters along with copper mines producing copper in concentrate. In 2024, Vale sold a minority 10% stake in energy transition metals, its base metals business, likely the first step in separating base metals and iron ore.</p>
<p>Having examined the options trading patterns of Vale, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance</p>
<h3>Present Market Standing of Vale</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 17,162,921, the price of VALE is up 1.1% at $12.86. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 58 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Vale</h3>
<p>A total of 2 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $13.1.</p>
<p><strong>Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move</strong></p>
<p>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.
* An analyst from UBS has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Vale, which currently sits at a price target of $12. 
* An analyst from RBC Capital has elevated its stance to Outperform, setting a new price target at $14. </p>
<p>Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.</p>
<p>If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Vale, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts.</p>

VALE

<p>Investors are showing a bullish stance on Vale (NYSE:VALE) with significant options activity detected. Benzinga's scanner identified 9 trades, with 66% bullish sentiment. The trades include 8 calls totaling $413,886 and 1 put for $31,000, targeting a price range of $10.0 to $17.0. Vale's stock is currently priced at $12.86, with analysts setting an average price target of $13.1. UBS maintains a Neutral rating, while RBC Capital rates it Outperform with a $14 target. Options trading is riskier but offers higher profit potential.</p>

Decoding Vale's Options Activity: What's the Big Picture?