This is unusual:
At 3:41 PM ET today, someone bought 1,500 contracts of Intel, $INTC, calls expiring tomorrow for $0.05 each.
At 3:43 PM ET, news emerged that the Trump Administration was considering a deal with Intel.
The stock is now trading +10% higher on the news.
Those… pic.twitter.com/gbjiD2QMPH
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) August 14, 2025
At 3:41 PM ET, someone bought 1,500 Intel $INTC call contracts expiring the next day. Strike: $23.00. Price: $0.05. Total cost: $7,500. https://stockscan.io/stocks/INTC/option-chain
At 3:43 PM ET, the headline hit: “Trump administration is in talks with Intel over a potential US government stake in the chipmaker.” https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/trump-weighs-us-stake-in-intel-to-boost-ohio-chip-plant-report/ar-AA1Ky3GQ
Within the hour, Intel stock jumped +10%. Those calls are now projected to open about +1,000% higher. https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/08/14/intel-shares-soar-after-report-says-trump-administration-may-buy-equity-in-tech-giant/
No hedge, no spread, no protective puts—just a naked bet minutes before a federal policy bombshell.
Intel’s trading volume surged to 131.5 million shares, 55% above its 3-month average. https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/stock-market-today-intel-rallies-after-trump-signals-support-ceo-amid-us-chip-strategy
The trader’s identity hasn’t been disclosed. The broker hasn’t been named. Regulators aren’t saying if the timing is being reviewed. Was this someone with access to the White House calendar? Was the trade synced with the press release?
This doesn’t read like luck. It reads like choreography. And Intel’s option chain has been flashing anomalies since Tan’s appointment. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/intel-options-traders-expecting-chip-123551150.html