The option implied volatility spread and skew predict stock returns. These variables also reflect the expected cost of borrowing stock to sell short. The stock borrowing fee implied from options prices predicts changes in quoted borrowing fees and stock returns; however, the volatility spread...

We examine how informed traders trade in the option market around news announcements. We show that their profits depend on whether positions are long or short, whether trades take place before or after news releases, and whether events are scheduled or unscheduled. We predict and find that...

We use data on signed option volume to study which components of option volume predict stock returns and resolve the seemingly inconsistent results in the literature. We find no evidence that trades related to synthetic short positions in the underlying stocks contain more information than...