Primary read
Bullish
Call-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
VRSK options intelligence
Verisk Analytics Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
30
Market data through 12 Aug 2026
Checked 13 Aug 2026 11:23 · complete available chain
Call-side pressure
Bullish pressure
VRSK currently carries bullish options pressure with a 30/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 6.2%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.02.
Expected move
6.2%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.02
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.63
Call-side skew
Trend fit
43
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
-1.6%
RS -20.1
Expected move
6.2%
Put-call volume
0.63
Volume / OI
0.02
Reference IV
0.33
Max pain
190.00
Underlying
191.82
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
246
Research Brief
VRSK has a bullish chain read with 30/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 179.87–203.77; The largest call open-interest concentration is 190.00; the largest put concentration is 180.00. The most active strike by current volume is 175.00.
Priced range179.87–203.77
Call concentration190.00
Put concentration180.00
Max pain reference190.00
- 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 179.87 to 203.77. Max pain at 190.00 sits inside that range, 0.9% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
179.87191.82 ± 11.95203.77
Confirmation level
A close beyond 203.77 or below 179.87 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 30/100
Pressure is 26/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure26 × 42%
+10.9
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation16 × 22%
+3.6
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement43 × 26%
+11.1
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility48 × 10%
+4.8
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 190.00; the largest put concentration is 180.00. The most active strike by current volume is 175.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
3
125.00-34.8%
0
10
140.00-27.0%
0
2
150.00-21.8%
0
10
160.00-16.6%
0
27
165.00-14.0%
0
59
170.00-11.4%
0
15
175.00-8.8%
7
315
180.00-6.2%
13
52
185.00-3.6%
39
182
190.00-0.9%
338
26
195.001.7%
28
5
200.004.3%
44
8
210.009.5%
25
25
220.0014.7%
41
0
230.0019.9%
161
0
240.0025.1%
27
0
250.0030.3%
2
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Gamma Profile by Strike
Negative gamma proxy
Put-side gamma sensitivity outweighs the call-side proxy across the retained chain. The largest bars mark levels where delta-hedging sensitivity may be most concentrated.
Net profile-$595,057Delta change / 1% move
Positive peak210.00+$73,246
Negative peak180.00-$291,112
Nearest balance193.88Interpolated sign change
StrikeNegativePositiveNet / 1% move
125.00-34.8%
-$285
130.00-32.2%
-$860
135.00-29.6%
-$499
140.00-27.0%
-$997
145.00-24.4%
-$134,079
150.00-21.8%
+$4,933
155.00-19.2%
-$22,934
160.00-16.6%
-$67,420
165.00-14.0%
-$78,903
170.00-11.4%
-$75,644
175.00-8.8%
+$7,218
180.00-6.2%
-$291,112
185.00-3.6%
-$74,843
190.00-0.9%
-$107,972
195.001.7%
+$31,133
200.004.3%
+$53,922
210.009.5%
+$73,246
220.0014.7%
+$37,203
230.0019.9%
+$10,385
240.0025.1%
+$9,868
250.0030.3%
+$6,224
Positive call-side proxy Negative put-side proxyHighlighted row is nearest spot strike
Scenario proxy = gamma × open interest × 100 shares × spot² × 1%. Calls are positive and puts negative by convention. Missing Greeks use a Black-Scholes estimate from stored IV with zero rate and dividend assumptions. Open interest does not reveal who is long or short, so this is not observed dealer positioning or a forecast.
Volatility Curve
Balanced volatility curve
Near- and longer-dated implied volatility are broadly aligned; no exceptional front-expiry premium is visible.
0.33
21 Aug
9d
0.35
18 Sep
37d
0.35
18 Dec
128d
0.35
19 Mar
219d
Volatility by Strike
Upside optionality premium
Out-of-the-money calls carry higher implied volatility than comparable puts, indicating richer upside optionality.
155
160
165
170
175
180
185
190
195
200
210
220
230
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
- Auditable calculationoriginal version retained
- Independent entryone read per market session
- Point-in-time referencerequired at entry
- Matched expiry closereported only after maturity
Eligible snapshots must have a dated market session, stored signal, and point-in-time market reference. Each observation uses one read per market session and the first stored weekly close on or immediately after expiry; its original calculation version is retained. 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
- 12 Aug 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 246 / 246
- 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
Multi-expiry position-maintenance candidate
Activity is spread across expirations with heavier open interest than current volume, which can be consistent with position maintenance.
Options are leaning call-side while the stock is down on the week, a divergence that needs price confirmation.
Multi-expiry position-maintenance candidate matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $256,790 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 91+ 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+26
1W price-1.6%
Call premium88%
Put premium12%
Notional split
C 88% / P 12%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.02
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
43/100
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.
Roll detection is conservative because opening and closing legs are not directly observable in this snapshot.
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 53 contracts traded, $209,840 estimated gross traded notional, and 82% of visible notional.
$209,840
Puts · 22-45 days · OTM
puts cluster with 40 contracts traded, $23,780 estimated gross traded notional, and 9% of visible notional.
$23,780
Puts · 22-45 days · ATM
puts cluster with 4 contracts traded, $5,600 estimated gross traded notional, and 2% of visible notional.
$5,600
Calls · 91+ days · ATM
calls cluster with 3 contracts traded, $4,395 estimated gross traded notional, and 2% of visible notional.
$4,395
Calls · 22-45 days · ITM
calls cluster with 6 contracts traded, $4,370 estimated gross traded notional, and 2% of visible notional.
$4,370
Setup Classification
Opportunity and risk frame
Expected move or upcoming earnings makes the setup more event-sensitive.
Underlying price is close to the max-pain zone.
Activity Anomaly
Normal range
Activity is broadly in line with recent stored snapshots.
Baseline: 11 completed sessions
Volume rank45th
Volume/OI rank45th
IV rank9th
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close191.82
1W-1.6%
RS-20.1
Fair value-21.4%
Options pressure26
Speculation16
Volatility48
Trend fit43
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg 6.8% · 11 sessions
45th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.37 · 11 sessions
9th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 2.66 · 11 sessions
45th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.04 · 11 sessions
45th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 10:17
Bullish
Pressure 32
Move 10.7%
30 Jul 10:13
Bullish
Pressure 30
Move 9.3%
30 Jul 23:28
Bearish
Pressure -27
Move 6.2%
31 Jul 11:38
Bearish
Pressure -82
Move 6.2%
31 Jul 15:06
Mixed
Pressure 8
Move 6.5%
31 Jul 21:38
Mixed
Pressure 0
Move 6.5%
3 Aug 05:36
Bearish
Pressure -46
Move 6.4%
3 Aug 23:08
Mixed
Pressure 10
Move 6.1%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike125.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Strike130.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike135.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike140.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 10
Strike145.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike150.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike155.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike160.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 10
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts46
Avg IV0.33
Put-call1.00
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts70
Avg IV0.35
Put-call3.38
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts66
Avg IV0.35
Put-call-
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Contracts64
Avg IV0.35
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Put IV premium
Call IV0.19
Put IV0.39
Skew0.20
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.34
Put IV0.35
Skew0.01
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.35
Put IV0.35
Skew-
19 Mar 2027Balanced skew
Call IV0.34
Put IV0.37
Skew0.03
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractVRSK270319C00150000
SideCall
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Strike150.00
Volume50
OI30
IV0.37
ContractVRSK260918P00180000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike180.00
Volume25
OI50
IV0.35
ContractVRSK260918P00170000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike170.00
Volume11
OI85
IV0.35
ContractVRSK260918C00180000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike180.00
Volume5
OI152
IV0.31
ContractVRSK260918C00190000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike190.00
Volume5
OI38
IV0.36
ContractVRSK260918P00190000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike190.00
Volume4
OI39
IV0.38
ContractVRSK260821C00175000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike175.00
Volume4
OI7
IV0.34
ContractVRSK261218C00150000
SideCall
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Strike150.00
Volume3
OI4
IV0.35
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.