Last I checked, Bank of America's offer was something like .8595 shares of BAC common for each share of Merrill Lynch common. Looking at BAC's current $28.22 price, that sounds like a $24.25 per share offer.

MER has been slipping steadily since after-hours trading just after the announcement had it in the mid-20s. Implied volatility for at the money calls 30 days out is sitting just below 200% as well. With spreads and volatility like that, someone in a risk arbitrage shop is going to clean up. And someone is going to take it on the chin.

I wonder if that long, even slide on my MER chart is just thankful equity holders bleeding out into the risk-arb crowd though.