Primary read
Bullish
Call-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
ENSG options intelligence
The Ensign Group Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
37
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 31 Jul 2026 16:36 · complete available chain
Call-side pressure
Bullish pressure
ENSG currently carries bullish options pressure with a 37/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 7.6%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.09.
Expected move
7.6%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.09
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.57
Call-side skew
Trend fit
21
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
+3.0%
RS -9.9
Expected move
7.6%
Put-call volume
0.57
Volume / OI
0.09
Reference IV
0.45
Max pain
170.00
Underlying
172.99
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
122
Research Brief
ENSG has a bullish chain read with 37/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 159.79–186.19; The largest call open-interest concentration is 170.00; the largest put concentration is 170.00. The most active strike by current volume is 155.00.
Priced range159.79–186.19
Call concentration170.00
Put concentration170.00
Max pain reference170.00
- 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 159.79 to 186.19. Max pain at 170.00 sits inside that range, 1.7% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
159.79172.99 ± 13.20186.19
Confirmation level
A close beyond 186.19 or below 159.79 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 37/100
Pressure is 38/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure38 × 42%
+15.8
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation42 × 22%
+9.2
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement21 × 26%
+5.6
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility62 × 10%
+6.2
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 170.00; the largest put concentration is 170.00. The most active strike by current volume is 155.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
1
125.00-27.7%
0
10
130.00-24.9%
0
0
135.00-22.0%
2
1
145.00-16.2%
0
2
150.00-13.3%
12
2
155.00-10.4%
53
2
160.00-7.5%
7
1
165.00-4.6%
1
383
170.00-1.7%
309
3
175.001.2%
154
3
180.004.1%
0
0
185.006.9%
223
0
190.009.8%
12
0
195.0012.7%
131
2
200.0015.6%
1
0
210.0021.4%
1
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.
0.45
21 Aug
21d
0.45
18 Sep
49d
0.44
18 Dec
140d
0.46
19 Mar
231d
Volatility by Strike
Downside protection premium
Out-of-the-money puts carry higher implied volatility than comparable calls, indicating richer downside protection.
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180
185
190
195
200
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 quotes98%
Open interest100%
- Chain status
- Complete available chain
- Market date
- 31 Jul 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 122 / 122
- 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 pressure and weekly price action are pointing in the same constructive direction.
Multi-expiry position-maintenance candidate matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $632420 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 91+ days · itm, and a bullish flow confirms 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+3.0%
Call premium76%
Put premium24%
Notional split
C 76% / P 24%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.09
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
21/100
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, $204938 estimated gross traded notional, and 32% of visible notional.
$204938
Calls · 8-21 days · ITM
calls cluster with 76 contracts traded, $168600 estimated gross traded notional, and 27% of visible notional.
$168600
Puts · 46-90 days · ITM
puts cluster with 71 contracts traded, $103805 estimated gross traded notional, and 16% of visible notional.
$103805
Calls · 46-90 days · ITM
calls cluster with 14 contracts traded, $48473 estimated gross traded notional, and 8% of visible notional.
$48473
Calls · 91+ days · OTM
calls cluster with 59 contracts traded, $32700 estimated gross traded notional, and 5% of visible notional.
$32700
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.
Underlying price is close to the max-pain zone.
Call pressure is building while the stock sits above Sharemaestro fair value.
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
Close178.16
1W+3.0%
RS-9.9
Fair value+23.1%
Options pressure38
Speculation42
Volatility62
Trend fit21
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 10:28
Bearish
Pressure -26
Move 9.4%
30 Jul 10:24
Mixed
Pressure -6
Move 9.0%
31 Jul 10:20
Bullish
Pressure 61
Move 8.0%
31 Jul 15:36
Bullish
Pressure 38
Move 7.6%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike125.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike130.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 8 · OI 10
Strike135.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 2
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike145.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike150.00
Calls · V 4 · OI 12
Puts · V 20 · OI 2
Strike155.00
Calls · V 71 · OI 53
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike160.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 7
Puts · V 2 · OI 2
Strike165.00
Calls · V 1 · OI 1
Puts · V 2 · OI 1
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts23
Avg IV0.45
Put-call0.45
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts43
Avg IV0.45
Put-call1.21
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts49
Avg IV0.44
Put-call0.22
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Contracts7
Avg IV0.46
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.48
Put IV0.49
Skew0.01
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.40
Put IV0.44
Skew0.03
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.44
Put IV0.41
Skew-0.03
19 Mar 2027Put IV premium
Call IV0.44
Put IV0.49
Skew0.05
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractENSG270319P00190000
SidePut
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Strike190.00
Volume-
OI12
IV0.37
ContractENSG260918P00170000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike170.00
Volume-
OI10
IV0.91
ContractENSG260821C00160000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike160.00
Volume-
OI7
IV0.50
ContractENSG270319C00140000
SideCall
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Strike140.00
Volume-
OI3
IV0.49
ContractENSG260821P00155000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike155.00
Volume-
OI2
IV0.58
ContractENSG260821C00135000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike135.00
Volume-
OI2
IV0.00
ContractENSG260918P00110000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike110.00
Volume-
OI2
IV0.82
ContractENSG261218C00120000
SideCall
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Strike120.00
Volume-
OI1
IV0.00
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.