KEY
TAKEAWAYS
- BSX inventory value has been in a long-term uptrend until February 2025 and has been struggling to regain its upside momentum.
- Boston Scientific inventory is approaching its 50-day shifting common which might act as a resistance degree.
- If the inventory value of BSX exhibits a bearish bias, a put vertical may very well be a viable choice technique to make the most of.
When the inventory market lacks clear course, choices methods generally is a reliable good friend. I typically undergo the OptionsPlay ChartLists in StockCharts to search for shares that present potential buying and selling or investing alternatives.
On Tuesday, as I used to be scrolling by the Bearish Pattern Following Methods within the OptionsPlay Technique Heart, utilizing a balanced threat profile and max threat of $2,500 as the standards, an extended placed on Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX) inventory confirmed up on the listing with a comparatively excessive OptionsPlay rating.
The closing inventory value of BSX on Tuesday was $101.24 and was approaching its 50-day easy shifting common (SMA), which might act as a resistance degree. Its relative power index (RSI) was hovering round 50, and the share value oscillator (PPO) was near the zero line. Not a lot modified on Tuesday (see chart under).
FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF BSX STOCK. The inventory value is approaching its 50-day SMA however momentum appears to be slowing as indicated by the relative power index and p.c value oscillator. Chart supply: StockCharts.com. For academic functions.The RSI and PPO point out that momentum has slowed within the inventory. So there’s an opportunity the inventory value of BSX might hit the resistance of its 50-day SMA and fail to interrupt above it, or it might break above it and proceed greater. The short-term directional bias is impartial and may very well be a viable choices buying and selling candidate.
Let’s examine what methods the OptionsPlay Explorer comes up with for a bearish outlook on the inventory value of BSX.
The right way to entry OptionsPlay. Within the SharpCharts workbench, choose Choices > OptionsPlay. Then evaluate the three optimum methods.
FIGURE 2. OPTIMAL STRATEGIES FOR TRADING BSX FOR A BEARISH SCENARIO. Shorting BSX, shopping for a put, and an extended put vertical are viable buying and selling methods for BSX. When choosing a technique, choose one which aligns together with your consolation degree. Picture supply: StockCharts.com.
The 2 choices methods with comparatively excessive OptionsPlay scores are the Could 16 105 put and the Could 16 105/90 put vertical unfold. In the event you shorted 100 shares of BSX as an alternative of buying and selling choices on the inventory, your return would have been decrease (see left panel).
Each choices methods, i.e., the lengthy Could 15 105 put and the Could 16 105/90 put vertical, look viable however a bearish transfer is not confirmed within the each day chart of BSX. There’s an opportunity the inventory value of BSX will stay between $90 and $105 for an prolonged interval (dashed blue horizontal strains). Due to the shortage of directional readability, I might favor to go for the put vertical. You are still shopping for the lengthy put however including a brief put at a decrease strike value with the identical expiration date. This may offset the lengthy put’s price.
Your threat is restricted to $555 with a possible reward of $945. The commerce will probably be worthwhile if the inventory value of BSX closes under $99.45 earlier than the contract expires. As of this writing, there is a 48.6% likelihood of this occurring.
Bear in mind, inventory costs are dynamic so what you see right now might not be the identical as what you see tomorrow.
Hold the next factors in thoughts:
- You are contemplating a bearish technique when the short-term development is impartial.
- BSX studies earnings on April 30, which is earlier than the choices contract expires.
- Control implied volatility since it will possibly change considerably throughout earnings. It is essential to handle your open commerce. There are a lot of methods to do that. View our instructional webinars to be taught extra about learn how to handle your choice trades.
The Backside Line
With tariff bulletins looming, it is in all probability a good suggestion to carry off inserting trades till after we all know what tariffs will probably be applied. Issues might change on Thursday and BSX’s inventory value exhibits a transparent upside or draw back. Evaluation the optimum methods earlier than inserting an choice commerce, and solely place a commerce if you’re comfy with the risk-reward tradeoff.
Disclaimer: This weblog is for academic functions solely and shouldn’t be construed as monetary recommendation. The concepts and methods ought to by no means be used with out first assessing your individual private and monetary scenario, or with out consulting a monetary skilled.

Jayanthi Gopalakrishnan is Director of Website Content material at StockCharts.com. She spends her time developing with content material methods, delivering content material to teach merchants and buyers, and discovering methods to make technical evaluation enjoyable. Jayanthi was Managing Editor at T3 Customized, a content material advertising and marketing company for monetary manufacturers. Previous to that, she was Managing Editor of Technical Evaluation of Shares & Commodities journal for 15+ years.
Study Extra