Top Active Trader Alert Stocks (ABK, ANPI, AVNR, BIOD, XCO, FTNT, SIRI, VVUS, YRCW)

Active traders and day traders have many stocks to choose from this Monday morning.  We are tracking news and moves in shares of Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABK), Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ANPI), Avanir Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AVNR), Biodel Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOD), EXCO Resources Inc. (NYSE: XCO), Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ: FTNT), SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI), VIVUS Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) and YRC Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: YRCW).

Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: ABK) missed an interest payment and warned that bankruptcy filing is near; shares are getting crushed by 43% at $0.47 in very active trading.

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ANPI) is down after word of a recapitalization.  Shares are down 27% at $0.37, a new 52-week low as the prior range was $0.40 to $1.45.

Avanir Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AVNR) is soaring after its drug called Nuedexta won FDA approval for uncontrolled laughing and crying.  Shares are up a whopping 123% at $5.40 and that is above the old 52-week range of $1.31 to $3.73.

Biodel Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOD) is visiting bio-hell.  The FDA issued a Complete response letter over its Linjeta application for type-1 and type-2 diabetes.  Shares are down 52% at $1.75 and the 900,000+ shares traded in the pre-market is already above an average day’s volume of 872,000 shares. Mark a 52-week low here as the prior range was $3.22 to $6.25.

EXCO Resources Inc. (NYSE: XCO) is surging after its CEO made a $4.36 billion offer to take the independent oil and gas company private.  Shares are up 38% at $20.49 on more than 7 million shares.  The prior 52-week range was $13.25 to $22.52.

Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ: FTNT) is surging on reports that IBM is making an acquisition offer for the company.  Shares are up 26% at $38.00 in thin volume trading; the 52-week range is $14.72 to $31.65.

SIRIUS XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) was an options-watch stock for the week ahead of earnings, but shares are hitting new 52-week highs after Seeking Alpha wrote that it will join the NASDAQ 100 in December.  Shares are up 3.3% at $1.55 on over 1 million shares, while the prior 52-week range is $0.56 to $1.50.

VIVUS Inc. (NASDAQ: VVUS) is playing a bit of a give-back after Friday’s ‘bad news that was good news’ from the FDA denial.  Shares are down 4.5% at $7.40.

YRC Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: YRCW) is trading higher after the Teamsters approved a third round of concessions.  Shares are up 20% at $4.41 versus a split-adjusted 52-week range of $2.50 to $106.25.

Also, here is the unusual options activity from Friday that are trades which will carry over into this week and beyond.

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JON C. OGG