Primary read
Volatility
Volatility expansion watch
Ticker Options Intelligence
BLDR options intelligence
Builders FirstSource Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
54
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 31 Jul 2026 23:07 · complete available chain
Volatility expansion watch
Volatility pressure
BLDR currently carries volatility options pressure with a 54/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 15.1%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.12.
Expected move
15.1%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.12
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
2.09
Put-side skew
Trend fit
91
Options agree with trend context
Weekly backdrop
-8.8%
RS -41.3
Expected move
15.1%
Put-call volume
2.09
Volume / OI
0.12
Reference IV
0.58
Max pain
75.00
Underlying
72.86
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
389
Research Brief
BLDR has a volatility chain read with 54/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 61.83–83.89; The largest call open-interest concentration is 85.00; the largest put concentration is 75.00. The most active strike by current volume is 145.00.
Priced range61.83–83.89
Call concentration85.00
Put concentration75.00
Max pain reference75.00
- A clear directional pressure reading develops and price begins to agree.
- The current chain read already agrees with the stored weekly trend context.
- Volatility falls and the chain remains directionally mixed.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 61.83 to 83.89. Max pain at 75.00 sits inside that range, 2.9% above spot.
Spot
Max pain
61.8372.86 ± 11.0383.89
Confirmation level
A close beyond 83.89 or below 61.83 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 54/100
Pressure is 30/100 toward puts; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure30 × 42%
+12.6
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation43 × 22%
+9.4
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement91 × 26%
+23.7
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility81 × 10%
+8.1
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 85.00; the largest put concentration is 75.00. The most active strike by current volume is 145.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
67
50.00-31.4%
0
568
55.00-24.5%
0
760
60.00-17.7%
3
903
65.00-10.8%
705
1191
70.00-3.9%
239
1292
75.002.9%
1001
343
80.009.8%
1000
300
85.0016.7%
1330
241
90.0023.5%
623
32
95.0030.4%
939
0
100.0037.2%
1310
35
105.0044.1%
207
0
110.0051.0%
87
0
115.0057.8%
296
0
120.0064.7%
377
0
140.0092.1%
568
0
145.0099.0%
279
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Volatility Curve
Balanced volatility curve
Near- and longer-dated implied volatility are broadly aligned; no exceptional front-expiry premium is visible.
0.58
21 Aug
21d
0.57
18 Sep
49d
0.63
20 Nov
112d
0.57
18 Dec
140d
0.56
15 Jan
168d
0.57
19 Feb
203d
0.54
19 Mar
231d
0.57
17 Jun
321d
Volatility by Strike
Upside optionality premium
Out-of-the-money calls carry higher implied volatility than comparable puts, indicating richer upside optionality.
60
65
70
75
80
85
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
- 389 / 389
- 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
Volatility expansion bet
The strongest message is movement risk: expected move and implied volatility are carrying more signal than direction.
Options are pricing movement more than direction; compare expected move with the stock's actual weekly change.
Volatility expansion bet matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $15.3M of estimated gross traded notional, puts · 91+ days · itm, and a volatility flow versus price backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure-30
1W price-8.8%
Call premium4%
Put premium96%
Notional split
C 4% / P 96%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.12
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
91/100
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.
Puts · 91+ days · ITM
puts cluster with 1686 contracts traded, $9.8M estimated gross traded notional, and 65% of visible notional.
$9.8M
Puts · 8-21 days · ITM
puts cluster with 811 contracts traded, $2.8M estimated gross traded notional, and 18% of visible notional.
$2.8M
Puts · 46-90 days · ITM
puts cluster with 447 contracts traded, $1.6M estimated gross traded notional, and 11% of visible notional.
$1.6M
Calls · 91+ days · OTM
calls cluster with 903 contracts traded, $288386 estimated gross traded notional, and 2% of visible notional.
$288386
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 189 contracts traded, $250873 estimated gross traded notional, and 2% of visible notional.
$250873
Setup Classification
Opportunity and risk frame
Positioning agrees with the Sharemaestro trend backdrop.
The tape is pricing or displaying unusually elevated activity.
Expected move or upcoming earnings makes the setup more event-sensitive.
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
Close66.44
1W-8.8%
RS-41.3
Fair value-51.3%
Options pressure-30
Speculation43
Volatility81
Trend fit91
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 10:30
Bullish
Pressure 46
Move 13.9%
30 Jul 10:25
Bullish
Pressure 44
Move 15.2%
31 Jul 13:29
Volatility
Pressure -67
Move 15.5%
31 Jul 13:44
Bearish
Pressure -37
Move 15.0%
31 Jul 14:24
Volatility
Pressure -40
Move 14.8%
31 Jul 15:40
Volatility
Pressure -41
Move 14.9%
31 Jul 16:48
Volatility
Pressure -38
Move 14.9%
31 Jul 18:05
Volatility
Pressure -39
Move 15.1%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike40.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 4
Strike45.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 1 · OI 5
Strike50.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 7 · OI 67
Strike55.00
Calls · V 2 · OI 0
Puts · V 1 · OI 568
Strike60.00
Calls · V 1 · OI 3
Puts · V 17 · OI 760
Strike65.00
Calls · V 11 · OI 705
Puts · V 32 · OI 903
Strike70.00
Calls · V 26 · OI 239
Puts · V 24 · OI 1191
Strike75.00
Calls · V 60 · OI 1001
Puts · V 18 · OI 1292
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts49
Avg IV0.58
Put-call2.26
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts58
Avg IV0.57
Put-call3.06
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Contracts37
Avg IV0.63
Put-call4.31
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts49
Avg IV0.57
Put-call2.57
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Contracts74
Avg IV0.56
Put-call2.21
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.57
Put IV0.54
Skew-0.04
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.55
Put IV0.54
Skew-0.01
20 Nov 2026Call IV premium
Call IV1.01
Put IV0.56
Skew-0.45
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.58
Put IV0.55
Skew-0.04
15 Jan 2027Balanced skew
Call IV0.58
Put IV0.54
Skew-0.04
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractBLDR261120C00125000
SideCall
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Strike125.00
Volume-
OI125
IV0.82
ContractBLDR270319C00140000
SideCall
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Strike140.00
Volume-
OI50
IV0.97
ContractBLDR260918P00135000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike135.00
Volume-
OI11
IV0.00
ContractBLDR270617C00110000
SideCall
Expiry17 Jun 2027
Strike110.00
Volume-
OI11
IV0.59
ContractBLDR270617P00090000
SidePut
Expiry17 Jun 2027
Strike90.00
Volume-
OI5
IV0.54
ContractBLDR270617P00080000
SidePut
Expiry17 Jun 2027
Strike80.00
Volume-
OI5
IV0.51
ContractBLDR260918P00150000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike150.00
Volume-
OI4
IV0.00
ContractBLDR260821P00040000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike40.00
Volume-
OI4
IV1.29
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.