Today’s tickers: SPLS, XCO, THC, FTO, YHOO, ERTS, LNC & GE SPLS  - Staples, Inc. –  The supplier of office products popped up on our ‘hot by options volume’ market scanner late in the trading session after one investor initiated a bearish spread in the December contract. Staples’ shares are currently down 0.80% at $20.64 as of 3:15 p.m. in New York. The pessimistic player established a ratio put spread, buying 2,500 in-the-money puts at the December $21 strike for an average premium of $1.185 each, and selling 5,000 puts at the lower December $19 strike at an average premium of $0.39 apiece. The average net cost of the transaction amounts to $0.405 per contract. Thus, the investor is prepared to make money if the price of the underlying stock slips beneath the effective breakeven point on the spread at $20.595 by expiration day in December. Maximum potential profits of $1.595 per contract are available to the ratio-spreader if the office products company’s shares fall 7.945% from the current price of $20.64 to settle at $19.00 at expiration. The investor is vulnerable to losses in the event that Staples’ shares plummet far lower than he expects they will in the next several months. Losses start to accumulate for the trader if shares drop 15.7% lower and trade below the lower breakeven point at $17.405 by expiration day. Staples, Inc. is slated to report third-quarter earnings ahead of the opening bell on November 18, 2010. XCO  - EXCO Resources, Inc. –  The oil and natural gas company was visited by one long-term bullish options investor in the second half of the trading session. It looks like the trader is expecting EXCO’s shares to rally significantly by expiration day in March of 2011. Shares of the Dallas, TX-based firm are up 2.05% at $15.53 with 30 minutes to go before the closing bell. The optimistic player appears to have sold put options and purchased a call spread. The investor shed 2,000 puts at the March 2011 $15 strike to pocket an average premium of $1.625 per contract. He keeps the full premium received on the sale as long as shares of the energy company exceed $15.00 through March expiration. The trader also initiated a debit call spread, buying 4,250 calls at the March 2011 $16 strike for a premium of $1.45 each, and selling 4,250 calls at the higher March 2011 $19 strike for an average premium of…