Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Morgan Stanley ( MS ) , and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in MS usually suggests something big is about to happen.

We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 8 extraordinary options activities for Morgan Stanley ( MS ). This level of activity is out of the ordinary.

The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 25% leaning bullish and 62% bearish. Among these notable options, 4 are puts, totaling $173,600, and 4 are calls, amounting to $187,815.

What's The Price Target?

Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $110.0 to $125.0 for Morgan Stanley ( MS ) during the past quarter.

Analyzing Volume & Open Interest

Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Morgan Stanley's ( MS ) options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Morgan Stanley's ( MS ) whale trades within a strike price range from $110.0 to $125.0 in the last 30 days.

Morgan Stanley 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot

Noteworthy Options Activity:

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley ( MS ) is a global investment bank whose history, through its legacy firms, can be traced back to 1924. The company has institutional securities, wealth management, and investment management segments with approximately 45% of net revenue from its institutional securities business, 45% from wealth management, and 10% from investment management. About 30% of its total revenue is from outside the Americas. The company had over $5 trillion of client assets as well as around 80,000 employees at the end of 2023.

Having examined the options trading patterns of Morgan Stanley ( MS ), our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance

Morgan Stanley's Current Market Status

Trading volume stands at 1,921,341, with MS's price up by 0.21%, positioned at $119.76.

RSI indicators show the stock to be may be overbought.

Earnings announcement expected in 91 days.

What The Experts Say On Morgan Stanley

In the last month, 4 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $117.75.

Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move

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 Morgan Stanley ( MS ), which currently sits at a price target of $112.

* Showing optimism, an analyst from HSBC upgrades its rating to Buy with a revised price target of $118.

* Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Jefferies continues to hold a Buy rating for Morgan Stanley ( MS ), targeting a price of $135.

* An analyst from Goldman Sachs has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Morgan Stanley ( MS ), which currently sits at a price target of $106.

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.

If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Morgan Stanley ( MS ), Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts.