Primary read
Bullish
Call-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
SSTK options intelligence
Shutterstock options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
28
Market data through 30 Jul 2026
Checked 31 Jul 2026 11:44 · complete available chain
Call-side pressure
Bullish pressure
SSTK currently carries bullish options pressure with a 28/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 19.7%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.00.
Expected move
19.7%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.00
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.84
Balanced tape
Trend fit
27
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
-3.2%
RS -70.9
Expected move
19.7%
Put-call volume
0.84
Volume / OI
0.00
Reference IV
1.19
Max pain
7.50
Underlying
5.58
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
94
Research Brief
SSTK has a bullish chain read with 28/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 4.48–6.68; The largest call open-interest concentration is 10.00; the largest put concentration is 7.50. The most active strike by current volume is 5.00.
Priced range4.48–6.68
Call concentration10.00
Put concentration7.50
Max pain reference7.50
- 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.
- Front-expiry volatility is rich, so the signal may be event-driven and vulnerable to volatility compression.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 4.48 to 6.68. Max pain at 7.50 lies outside the priced range, so it is a weak near-term anchor.
Spot
Max pain
4.485.58 ± 1.106.68
Confirmation level
A close beyond 6.68 or below 4.48 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 28/100
Pressure is 19/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure19 × 42%
+7.9
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation16 × 22%
+3.5
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement27 × 26%
+7.1
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility96 × 10%
+9.6
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 10.00; the largest put concentration is 7.50. The most active strike by current volume is 5.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
14
2.50-55.2%
1
227
5.00-10.4%
27
533
7.5034.4%
170
164
10.0079.2%
3289
25
12.50124.0%
2553
0
15.00168.8%
56
0
17.50213.6%
87
0
20.00258.4%
95
2
22.50303.2%
8
0
25.00348.0%
1
0
27.50392.8%
4
0
30.00437.6%
2
0
32.50482.4%
9
0
35.00527.2%
19
0
37.50572.0%
66
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Volatility Curve
Front-loaded volatility
Near-term options are materially richer than later expirations, consistent with concentrated event or immediate-risk pricing.
1.19
21 Aug
22d
1.12
18 Sep
50d
0.59
20 Nov
113d
0.93
19 Feb
204d
Volatility by Strike
Smile incomplete
There is not enough comparable OTM call and put volatility to classify the smile.
5
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
Usable with limits
Retained chain100%
Implied volatility100%
Two-sided quotes100%
Open interest100%
- Chain status
- Complete available chain
- Market date
- 30 Jul 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 94 / 94
- 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
Earnings/event positioning
Options activity is concentrated around a live event window, so the cleanest read is event positioning rather than pure direction.
Options are leaning call-side while the stock is down on the week, a divergence that needs price confirmation.
Earnings/event positioning matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $6814 of estimated gross traded notional, puts · 8-21 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+19
1W price-3.2%
Call premium36%
Put premium64%
Notional split
C 36% / P 64%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.00
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
27/100
Agreement between options pressure and Sharemaestro market context.
Event window
4 Aug
Matched earnings event is 3 days away.
Aggregate chain data does not identify trade aggressor or opening versus closing activity; call/put concentration is not proof of market direction.
Puts · 8-21 days · ITM
puts cluster with 2 contracts traded, $3480 estimated gross traded notional, and 51% of visible notional.
$3480
Calls · 91+ days · OTM
calls cluster with 10 contracts traded, $1250 estimated gross traded notional, and 18% of visible notional.
$1250
Calls · 46-90 days · ITM
calls cluster with 5 contracts traded, $925 estimated gross traded notional, and 14% of visible notional.
$925
Puts · 46-90 days · ITM
puts cluster with 2 contracts traded, $490 estimated gross traded notional, and 7% of visible notional.
$490
Puts · 8-21 days · OTM
puts cluster with 12 contracts traded, $385 estimated gross traded notional, and 6% of visible notional.
$385
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
2 of 10 completed market sessions are available. More session history is needed before activity can be compared with a reliable normal.
Baseline: 2 completed sessions
Volume rank-
Volume/OI rank-
IV rank-
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close5.40
1W-3.2%
RS-70.9
Fair value-78.9%
Options pressure19
Speculation16
Volatility96
Trend fit27
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg - · 2/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 2/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 2/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 2/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 2/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 2/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 2/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 2/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 2/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 2/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 2/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 2/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 11:22
Bullish
Pressure 67
Move 40.8%
30 Jul 11:10
Bullish
Pressure 72
Move 29.1%
31 Jul 10:44
Bullish
Pressure 19
Move 19.7%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike2.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 2 · OI 14
Strike5.00
Calls · V 2 · OI 27
Puts · V 10 · OI 227
Strike7.50
Calls · V 1 · OI 170
Puts · V 0 · OI 533
Strike10.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 3289
Puts · V 0 · OI 164
Strike12.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 2553
Puts · V 0 · OI 25
Strike15.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 56
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike17.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 87
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike20.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 95
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts30
Avg IV1.19
Put-call4.67
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts12
Avg IV1.12
Put-call0.40
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Contracts28
Avg IV0.59
Put-call-
Expiry19 Feb 2027
Contracts24
Avg IV0.93
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Call IV premium
Call IV1.20
Put IV1.10
Skew-0.10
18 Sep 2026Call IV premium
Call IV0.45
Put IV0.15
Skew-0.30
20 Nov 2026Call IV premium
Call IV1.26
Put IV0.10
Skew-1.16
19 Feb 2027Call IV premium
Call IV1.22
Put IV0.08
Skew-1.14
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractSSTK260821P00005000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike5.00
Volume10
OI227
IV1.10
ContractSSTK270219C00012500
SideCall
Expiry19 Feb 2027
Strike12.50
Volume10
OI77
IV1.58
ContractSSTK260918C00005000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike5.00
Volume5
OI4
IV2.21
ContractSSTK260821C00005000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike5.00
Volume2
OI27
IV0.99
ContractSSTK260821P00002500
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike2.50
Volume2
OI14
IV1.53
ContractSSTK260821P00022500
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike22.50
Volume2
OI2
IV4.02
ContractSSTK260918P00007500
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike7.50
Volume2
OI1
IV1.20
ContractSSTK260821C00007500
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike7.50
Volume1
OI170
IV1.20
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
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.