Many using meme stock options when they can't use margins, says Mike Khouw

Core Insights - Beyond Meat's stock has experienced extreme volatility, surging by as much as 112% and then dropping nearly 30%, ultimately closing near the flatline. The stock has increased more than fivefold since Monday, primarily due to its inclusion in a new meme ETF [1]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Beyond Meat's stock has quintupled since Monday, driven by its addition to the meme ETF [1]. - The meme ETF, which began trading on October 8th, has seen a decline of over 9% since its launch [1]. Group 2: Options Market Activity - Beyond Meat's options trading volume was significantly high, with over 3.3 million contracts traded in a single day, indicating strong interest from traders [4]. - The stock traded over 11 times its average daily put volume, suggesting a notable level of bearish sentiment among options traders [3][4]. - A specific block of 5,000 October 24th weekly puts was traded at a strike price of 26, indicating a bet on the stock's decline [4]. Group 3: Market Context - Other meme stocks, such as Donut and Sweet Greens, are also seeing increased activity in the options market, with some stocks trading significantly above their average daily volumes [3][4]. - Many traders are utilizing options for leverage in stocks priced under $5, as margin trading may not be available for these lower-priced shares [5].