The Macau government is considering tightening gambling regulations
The shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp (NYSE:LVS) and Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN) are extending their respective losses today, in the wake of a regulatory overhaul in China. Specifically, the Macau government plans to alter the way gambling concessions are reviewed, putting pressure on names associated with the region's expansive casino scene. At last check, LVS was down 3.9% to trade at $37.20, while WYNN was off 7.9% to trade at $84.95.
Options traders are blasting both securities in response to the scrutiny. Concerning Las Vegas Sands stock, so far today, 58,000 calls and 31,000 puts have exchanged hands, which is double the intraday average. Meanwhile, Wynn Resorts stock's options pits are seeing volume running at five times what's typically seen at this point. While 82,000 calls have crossed the tape, 71,000 puts have also been traded -- which is five times the usual amount.
Taking a look at how LVS has fared on the charts of late, the security plummeted following an annual high of $66.76 on March 3. In fact, in the last 10 weeks, Las Vegas Sands stock has managed just one positive week -- a 16.9% pop at the end of August. Today, the shares are set to close at their lowest level since March 2020, and have shed 37.5% in 2021.
Meanwhile, Wynn Resorts stock hasn't fared much better, though the equity did turn in a win for the month of August. Still, today's negative price action has WYNN trading at its lowest level since November. While the security is up 3.4% year-over-year, it's still down 24.6% year-to-date, and is now trading below every major trendline on the charts.