Primary read
Bullish
Call-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
COUR options intelligence
Coursera Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
32
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 1 Aug 2026 21:38 · complete available chain
Call-side pressure
Bullish pressure
COUR currently carries bullish options pressure with a 32/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 12.2%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.01.
Expected move
12.2%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.01
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.52
Call-side skew
Trend fit
24
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
-1.1%
RS -35.1
Expected move
12.2%
Put-call volume
0.52
Volume / OI
0.01
Reference IV
0.61
Max pain
5.00
Underlying
5.31
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
140
Research Brief
COUR has a bullish chain read with 32/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 4.66–5.96; The largest call open-interest concentration is 5.00; the largest put concentration is 5.00. The most active strike by current volume is 6.00.
Priced range4.66–5.96
Call concentration5.00
Put concentration5.00
Max pain reference5.00
- Price holds or improves while call-side concentration remains elevated.
- Price weakens while call pressure fades or reverses toward puts.
- Options and the weekly trend are not yet giving the same message.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 4.66 to 5.96. Max pain at 5.00 sits inside that range, 5.8% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
4.665.31 ± 0.655.96
Confirmation level
A close beyond 5.96 or below 4.66 at the 21 Aug expiry would exceed the move currently priced by this chain.
Important limitation
The range is a pricing reference, not a forecast; volatility can reprice sharply after news or as expiry approaches.
Score Construction
Why conviction is 32/100
Pressure is 38/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure38 × 42%
+16.0
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation8 × 22%
+1.8
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement24 × 26%
+6.1
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility83 × 10%
+8.3
The intensity of implied volatility and the priced move.
Positioning by Strike
Where open interest and current activity concentrate
The largest call open-interest concentration is 5.00; the largest put concentration is 5.00. The most active strike by current volume is 6.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
1
1.00-81.2%
2
2
2.00-62.3%
16
107
3.00-43.5%
415
262
4.00-24.7%
2217
10400
5.00-5.8%
11472
841
6.0013.0%
6693
268
7.0031.8%
3354
0
8.0050.7%
803
0
9.0069.5%
408
4
10.0088.3%
233
0
11.00107.2%
90
1
12.00126.0%
86
0
13.00144.8%
33
0
14.00163.7%
26
0
15.00182.5%
26
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Volatility Curve
Back-loaded volatility
Longer-dated options carry more implied volatility than the front expiry, so risk is priced farther out.
0.61
21 Aug
21d
0.59
18 Sep
49d
0.68
20 Nov
112d
0.65
15 Jan
168d
0.67
19 Feb
203d
0.72
21 Jan
539d
Volatility by Strike
Balanced wings
Comparable upside calls and downside puts carry broadly similar implied volatility.
5
6
Put IV Call IV
Historical Replay
How matured reads behaved through expiry
Forward validation is building. The earliest eligible stored read expires 21 Aug 2026; its result will appear after the matched closing reference is stored.
Directional follow-through-
Moves contained by pricing-
Average expiry move-
Validation readiness
- Versioned calculationv2 observations only
- Independent entryone read per market session
- Point-in-time referencerequired at entry
- Matched expiry closereported only after maturity
Only v2 snapshots with a point-in-time market reference are eligible. Each observation uses one read per market session and the first weekly close on or immediately after expiry. It is an evidence audit, not an executable strategy or evidence of future performance.
Evidence Quality
High
Retained chain100%
Implied volatility100%
Two-sided quotes100%
Open interest100%
- Chain status
- Complete available chain
- Market date
- 31 Jul 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 140 / 140
- No material coverage gap was detected in the retained chain.
Aggregate chain data supports concentration, participation and pricing analysis. It does not identify trade aggressor, opening versus closing activity, multi-leg intent or dealer inventory.
Options Intent Radar
Short-dated OTM call concentration
Call activity is concentrated in upside and shorter-dated contracts; trade direction remains unconfirmed without aggressor data.
Options are leaning call-side while the stock is down on the week, a divergence that needs price confirmation.
Short-dated OTM call concentration matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $37732 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 46-90 days · itm, and a bullish flow against weak price backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure+38
1W price-1.1%
Call premium77%
Put premium23%
Notional split
C 77% / P 23%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.01
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
24/100
Agreement between options pressure and Sharemaestro market context.
Aggregate chain data does not identify trade aggressor or opening versus closing activity; call/put concentration is not proof of market direction.
Calls · 46-90 days · ITM
calls cluster with 28 contracts traded, $9660 estimated gross traded notional, and 26% of visible notional.
$9660
Calls · 8-21 days · ITM
calls cluster with 39 contracts traded, $6372 estimated gross traded notional, and 17% of visible notional.
$6372
Calls · 8-21 days · OTM
calls cluster with 532 contracts traded, $5170 estimated gross traded notional, and 14% of visible notional.
$5170
Puts · 8-21 days · OTM
puts cluster with 264 contracts traded, $4620 estimated gross traded notional, and 12% of visible notional.
$4620
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 21 contracts traded, $4442 estimated gross traded notional, and 12% of visible notional.
$4442
Setup Classification
Opportunity and risk frame
The tape is pricing or displaying unusually elevated activity.
Expected move or upcoming earnings makes the setup more event-sensitive.
Options positioning is not confirming the underlying trend context.
Activity Anomaly
Warming up
3 of 10 completed market sessions are available. More session history is needed before activity can be compared with a reliable normal.
Baseline: 3 completed sessions
Volume rank-
Volume/OI rank-
IV rank-
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close5.31
1W-1.1%
RS-35.1
Fair value-47.4%
Options pressure38
Speculation8
Volatility83
Trend fit24
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg - · 3/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 3/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 3/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 3/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 3/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 3/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 3/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 3/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 3/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 3/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 3/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 3/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 11:06
Volatility
Pressure 86
Move 23.7%
30 Jul 10:54
Bullish
Pressure 36
Move 30.3%
31 Jul 10:35
Volatility
Pressure 82
Move 12.6%
1 Aug 20:38
Bullish
Pressure 38
Move 12.2%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike1.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 2
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike2.00
Calls · V 16 · OI 16
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike3.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 415
Puts · V 0 · OI 107
Strike4.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 2217
Puts · V 0 · OI 262
Strike5.00
Calls · V 23 · OI 11472
Puts · V 264 · OI 10400
Strike6.00
Calls · V 507 · OI 6693
Puts · V 3 · OI 841
Strike7.00
Calls · V 25 · OI 3354
Puts · V 0 · OI 268
Strike8.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 803
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts30
Avg IV0.61
Put-call0.47
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts22
Avg IV0.59
Put-call0.36
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Contracts24
Avg IV0.68
Put-call0.03
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Contracts24
Avg IV0.65
Put-call0.33
Expiry19 Feb 2027
Contracts24
Avg IV0.67
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.62
Put IV0.62
Skew-
18 Sep 2026Put IV premium
Call IV0.58
Put IV0.64
Skew0.06
20 Nov 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.73
Put IV0.77
Skew0.04
15 Jan 2027Put IV premium
Call IV0.65
Put IV0.71
Skew0.06
19 Feb 2027Balanced skew
Call IV0.72
Put IV0.68
Skew-0.04
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractCOUR260821C00006000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike6.00
Volume507
OI6693
IV0.62
ContractCOUR260821P00005000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike5.00
Volume264
OI10400
IV0.62
ContractCOUR280121P00003000
SidePut
Expiry21 Jan 2028
Strike3.00
Volume50
OI521
IV0.72
ContractCOUR261120C00007000
SideCall
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Strike7.00
Volume30
OI596
IV0.66
ContractCOUR260918C00006000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike6.00
Volume30
OI217
IV0.58
ContractCOUR260918C00002000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike2.00
Volume28
OI28
IV2.18
ContractCOUR260821C00007000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike7.00
Volume25
OI3354
IV0.60
ContractCOUR260821C00005000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike5.00
Volume23
OI11472
IV0.59
Research Graph
Related research and context
Sharemaestro research
Related News
No recent ticker-specific news yet.
Market Watch
No recent market-watch posts yet.
Earnings
No upcoming matched earnings event.
Plain English Guide
Options context
What usually looks constructive
What usually looks cautious
Options can move quickly and can lose value fast. Treat this as research context, not a buy or sell instruction.