iShares MSCI Australia ETF Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSEARCA:EWA)

iShares MSCI Australia ETF (NYSEARCA:EWA) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Investors purchased 14,430 put options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 7,115% compared to the average volume of 200 put options.

Institutional Trading of iShares MSCI Australia ETF

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Johnson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF during the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF by 10,333.3% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,565 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 1,550 shares during the period. Nalls Sherbakoff Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF during the 4th quarter worth $47,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Australia ETF in the 1st quarter worth $42,000. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI Australia ETF during the fourth quarter worth about $72,000. 59.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

iShares MSCI Australia ETF Price Performance

EWA traded down $0.03 during trading on Thursday, hitting $28.06. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 5,287,409 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,017,303. iShares MSCI Australia ETF has a twelve month low of $20.50 and a twelve month high of $30.24. The stock has a market cap of $1.30 billion, a PE ratio of 19.89 and a beta of 1.04. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $28.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $27.23.

About iShares MSCI Australia ETF

iShares MSCI Australia ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI Australia Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, of publicly traded securities in the Australian market, as represented by the MSCI Australia Index (the Index). The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Index seeks to measure the performance of the Australian equity market.