This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Materials sector: <table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>LAC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$7.50</td>
<td>$94.3K</td>
<td>13.0K</td>
<td align="right">957</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$139.0K</td>
<td>17.2K</td>
<td align="right">811</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SKE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$61.2K</td>
<td>14</td>
<td align="right">502</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>STLD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$185.00</td>
<td>$177.3K</td>
<td>540</td>
<td align="right">300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>B</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/21/28</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$47.4K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
<td align="right">146</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AEM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/15/26</td>
<td>$220.00</td>
<td>$226.8K</td>
<td>570</td>
<td align="right">92</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HYMC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/15/26</td>
<td>$39.00</td>
<td>$28.8K</td>
<td>366</td>
<td align="right">62</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FCX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$37.6K</td>
<td>14.9K</td>
<td align="right">53</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$38.00</td>
<td>$36.1K</td>
<td>75</td>
<td align="right">30</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding LAC (NYSE:LAC), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 352 day(s) on January 15, 2027. Parties traded 499 contract(s) at a $7.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $94.3K, with a price of $189.0 per contract. There were 13087 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 957 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AG (NYSE:AG), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 352 day(s) on January 15, 2027. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $15.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $139.0K, with a price of $1390.0 per contract. There were 17289 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 811 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SKE (NYSE:SKE), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 51 day(s) on March 20, 2026. This event was a transfer of 490 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $61.2K, with a price of $125.0 per contract. There were 14 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 502 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For STLD (NASDAQ:STLD), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 51 day(s) on March 20, 2026. This event was a transfer of 300 contract(s) at a $185.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 21 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $177.3K, with a price of $590.0 per contract. There were 540 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 300 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding B (NYSE:B), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 723 day(s) on January 21, 2028. Parties traded 30 contract(s) at a $50.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $47.4K, with a price of $1580.0 per contract. There were 1986 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 146 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AEM (NYSE:AEM), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 107 day(s) on May 15, 2026. This event was a transfer of 90 contract(s) at a $220.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $226.8K, with a price of $2520.0 per contract. There were 570 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 92 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding HYMC (NASDAQ:HYMC), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 107 day(s) on May 15, 2026. Parties traded 13 contract(s) at a $39.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.8K, with a price of $2220.0 per contract. There were 366 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 62 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For FCX (NYSE:FCX), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 352 day(s) on January 15, 2027. This event was a transfer of 20 contract(s) at a $50.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.6K, with a price of $1880.0 per contract. There were 14943 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 53 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding HL (NYSE:HL), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 51 day(s) on March 20, 2026. Parties traded 30 contract(s) at a $38.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.1K, with a price of $1205.0 per contract. There were 75 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 30 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our Guide to Understanding Options Alerts or read more about unusual options activity. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

HYMC

STLD

Today's whale activity in the Materials sector highlights significant options trading. Notable trades include bullish sentiment for LAC and B, neutral for AG and SKE, and bearish for STLD, HYMC, FCX, and HL. Key details include strike prices, total trade prices, and volumes, indicating potential trading opportunities. Traders are advised to monitor these activities as they may influence market movements.

9 Materials Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session