VEON Surges 18% to 52-Week High—What’s Driving This Rally?

• VEON shares soar 18.29% to $53.80, hitting a 52-week peak of $59.68
• Secured $52.3M in non-redemption agreements for Kyivstar’s Nasdaq listing
• Benchmark reaffirms Buy rating despite geopolitical headwinds
• Options activity spikes with call spreads dominating trading volume

Today’s explosive move caps a week of strategic breakthroughs for VEON, as the telecom giant leverages its Kyivstar subsidiary’s U.S. listing plans to attract institutional capital. The stock’s 18% jump since yesterday’s open—after already rising 11% in pre-market trading—hints at a sustained bullish narrative, but risks remain tied to execution of its ambitious business combination.

Secured Funding and Nasdaq Listing Drive VEON’s Record Surge
VEON’s 18% intraday rally is directly tied to two catalysts: the execution of $52.3M non-redemption agreements ensuring the Kyivstar Group’s Nasdaq listing, and its $1B Ukraine infrastructure investment pledge. Institutional backing from Helikon and Clearline, coupled with Cohen Circle’s endorsement, created a short-term buying frenzy. Benchmark’s Buy rating—citing geopolitical noise as irrelevant to VEON’s fundamentals—further fueled optimism. The stock’s 52-week high ($59.68) aligns with Kyivstar’s strategic repositioning as Ukraine’s first U.S.-listed telecom play, attracting momentum-driven capital ahead of the Q3 business combination.

Targeting VEON’s Momentum: Top Call Options for the Bull Run
Technical Indicators:
• Bollinger Bands: Current price ($53.80) above upper band (48.16)—extreme bullishness
• RSI: 65.94 (neutral, not overbought)
• MACD: Positive crossover (0.598 above signal line)—confirming uptrend

Trading Setup: VEON’s $45.64–46.18 200-day support zone remains intact, but near-term resistance at $59.68 (prior peak) looms. Bulls targeting the $60 price target should focus on breakouts above $57.50. Avoid leveraged ETFs due to sector-specific risks.

Top Picks:
1. VEON20250718C50 (Call Option):
• Strike: $50 | Expiration: July 18 | Delta: 0.628 | Gamma: 0.051
• Theta: -0.330 (rapid time decay)
• Implied Volatility: 96.02% (high but justified by Nasdaq listing risk)
• Leverage: 13.28%
• Why: Near-the-money call with strong delta exposure to price rallies. Theta suggests urgency—ideal for a 3-week Nasdaq listing window.

2. VEON20250919C50 (Call Option):
• Strike: $50 | Expiration: September 19 | Delta: 0.616 | Gamma: 0.0255
• Theta: -0.0555 (moderate decay)
• Implied Volatility: 65.52%
• Leverage: 7.40%
• Why: Longer-dated option for investors betting on sustained momentum through Q3’s Nasdaq listing. Low gamma makes it less volatile but still leveraged.

Payoff Example: At a $5% upside ($56.50), the July $50 call yields $1.50 per contract ($150 profit), while the September $50 call gains $1.50. Aggressive traders may pyramid positions into $59 resistance. Hook: “Bulls breaking $60? Roll into VEON20250919C60 calls for the next leg.”

Backtest VEON Stock Performance
The backtest of VEON's performance after an intraday surge of 18% shows favorable short-to-medium-term gains. The 3-Day win rate is 48.80%, the 10-Day win rate is 53.23%, and the 30-Day win rate is 58.04%, indicating a higher probability of positive returns in the immediate aftermath of the surge. The maximum return during the backtest period was 6.22%, which occurred on day 59, suggesting that while the stock may experience some volatility, it has the potential to maintain gains in the following days.

VEON’s Bull Run Aims for $60—Monitor Key Resistance Levels
VEON’s surge reflects investor confidence in its strategic pivot to capitalize on Kyivstar’s Nasdaq listing, but sustainability hinges on execution. The stock’s 52-week high and strong RSI suggest momentum remains intact, but $59.68 resistance must be cleared to validate a $60 target. With Verizon (VZ) down -0.5% today, VEON’s outperformance highlights its unique growth story in a stagnating sector. Investors should watch the July 18 option expiration and Kyivstar’s regulatory approvals in Ukraine. Action: Fade rallies above $58 until the Nasdaq listing is confirmed—then pivot to longs. Risks remain, but VEON’s valuation at 9.5x forward earnings offers a compelling asymmetric bet.