Primary read
Volatility
Volatility expansion watch
Ticker Options Intelligence
LBRT options intelligence
Liberty Energy Inc. options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
64
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 2 Aug 2026 00:06 · complete available chain
Volatility expansion watch
Volatility pressure
LBRT currently carries volatility options pressure with a 64/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 13.6%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.05.
Expected move
13.6%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.05
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
12.07
Put-side skew
Trend fit
54
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
+7.8%
RS -19.7
Expected move
13.6%
Put-call volume
12.07
Volume / OI
0.05
Reference IV
0.67
Max pain
18.00
Underlying
18.71
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
358
Research Brief
LBRT has a volatility chain read with 64/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 16.16–21.26; The largest call open-interest concentration is 18.00; the largest put concentration is 21.00. The most active strike by current volume is 17.00.
Priced range16.16–21.26
Call concentration18.00
Put concentration21.00
Max pain reference18.00
- A clear directional pressure reading develops and price begins to agree.
- Volatility falls and the chain remains directionally mixed.
- Options and the weekly trend are not yet giving the same message.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 16.16 to 21.26. Max pain at 18.00 sits inside that range, 3.8% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
16.1618.71 ± 2.5521.26
Confirmation level
A close beyond 21.26 or below 16.16 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 64/100
Pressure is 78/100 toward puts; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure78 × 42%
+32.6
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation41 × 22%
+9.0
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement54 × 26%
+14.0
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility87 × 10%
+8.7
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 18.00; the largest put concentration is 21.00. The most active strike by current volume is 17.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
97
13.00-30.5%
0
148
14.00-25.2%
0
142
15.00-19.8%
1
205
17.00-9.1%
12
67
18.00-3.8%
6193
10
19.001.5%
4045
72
20.006.9%
44
2855
21.0012.2%
76
36
22.0017.6%
30
22
23.0022.9%
35
48
24.0028.3%
124
20
25.0033.6%
2221
2
26.0039.0%
143
0
27.0044.3%
2375
0
28.0049.7%
67
0
30.0060.3%
2703
0
31.0065.7%
136
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.
0.67
21 Aug
21d
0.64
18 Sep
49d
0.63
18 Dec
140d
0.64
15 Jan
168d
0.64
19 Mar
231d
0.63
21 Jan
539d
Volatility by Strike
Downside protection premium
Out-of-the-money puts carry higher implied volatility than comparable calls, indicating richer downside protection.
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
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
- 358 / 358
- 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: $172181 of estimated gross traded notional, puts · 8-21 days · otm, 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-78
1W price+7.8%
Call premium21%
Put premium79%
Notional split
C 21% / P 79%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.05
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
54/100
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 · 8-21 days · OTM
puts cluster with 2717 contracts traded, $129100 estimated gross traded notional, and 75% of visible notional.
$129100
Calls · 8-21 days · ITM
calls cluster with 70 contracts traded, $10850 estimated gross traded notional, and 6% of visible notional.
$10850
Calls · 91+ days · OTM
calls cluster with 45 contracts traded, $9748 estimated gross traded notional, and 6% of visible notional.
$9748
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 11 contracts traded, $7475 estimated gross traded notional, and 4% of visible notional.
$7475
Puts · 8-21 days · ITM
puts cluster with 8 contracts traded, $2865 estimated gross traded notional, and 2% of visible notional.
$2865
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.
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
Close18.71
1W+7.8%
RS-19.7
Fair value-1.0%
Options pressure-78
Speculation41
Volatility87
Trend fit54
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 10:40
Volatility
Pressure 93
Move 13.5%
30 Jul 07:47
Volatility
Pressure 100
Move 13.7%
30 Jul 15:29
Bullish
Pressure 20
Move 13.8%
30 Jul 16:40
Bullish
Pressure 23
Move 14.0%
30 Jul 17:08
Bullish
Pressure 24
Move 13.5%
30 Jul 17:46
Bullish
Pressure 29
Move 14.0%
30 Jul 19:35
Bullish
Pressure 31
Move 14.1%
30 Jul 20:19
Bullish
Pressure 31
Move 14.4%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike3.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 11
Strike4.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike5.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike6.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike7.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike8.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike9.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike10.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts68
Avg IV0.67
Put-call18.54
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts80
Avg IV0.64
Put-call0.48
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts82
Avg IV0.63
Put-call0.20
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Contracts32
Avg IV0.64
Put-call0.05
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Contracts64
Avg IV0.64
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.64
Put IV0.67
Skew0.03
18 Sep 2026Put IV premium
Call IV0.59
Put IV0.65
Skew0.06
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.60
Put IV0.65
Skew0.05
15 Jan 2027Put IV premium
Call IV0.60
Put IV0.67
Skew0.07
19 Mar 2027Put IV premium
Call IV0.61
Put IV0.69
Skew0.08
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractLBRT260821P00017000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike17.00
Volume2716
OI205
IV0.67
ContractLBRT260821C00018000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike18.00
Volume65
OI6193
IV0.62
ContractLBRT270115C00020000
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike20.00
Volume30
OI2161
IV0.62
ContractLBRT260821C00020000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike20.00
Volume30
OI44
IV0.63
ContractLBRT260821C00024000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike24.00
Volume24
OI124
IV0.72
ContractLBRT260821C00019000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike19.00
Volume19
OI4045
IV0.65
ContractLBRT270115C00035000
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike35.00
Volume10
OI4645
IV0.61
ContractLBRT280121C00017000
SideCall
Expiry21 Jan 2028
Strike17.00
Volume10
OI129
IV0.57
Research Graph
Related research and context
Sharemaestro research
Related News
No recent ticker-specific news yet.
Market Watch
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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.