Primary read
Mixed
Options-market disagreement
Ticker Options Intelligence
NUE options intelligence
Nucor Corp options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
37
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 31 Jul 2026 20:47 · complete available chain
Options-market disagreement
Mixed pressure
NUE currently carries mixed options pressure with a 37/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 7.6%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.07.
Expected move
7.6%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.07
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
1.45
Put-side skew
Trend fit
82
Options agree with trend context
Weekly backdrop
+4.6%
RS 29.2
Expected move
7.6%
Put-call volume
1.45
Volume / OI
0.07
Reference IV
0.39
Max pain
240.00
Underlying
247.56
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
566
Research Brief
NUE has a mixed 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 228.66–266.46; The largest call open-interest concentration is 250.00; the largest put concentration is 240.00. The most active strike by current volume is 180.00.
Priced range228.66–266.46
Call concentration250.00
Put concentration240.00
Max pain reference240.00
- 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 228.66 to 266.46. Max pain at 240.00 sits inside that range, 3.1% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
228.66247.56 ± 18.90266.46
Confirmation level
A close beyond 266.46 or below 228.66 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 15/100 toward puts; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure15 × 42%
+6.2
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation16 × 22%
+3.6
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement82 × 26%
+21.2
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility58 × 10%
+5.8
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 250.00; the largest put concentration is 240.00. The most active strike by current volume is 180.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
26
160.00-35.4%
17
40
180.00-27.3%
8
64
185.00-25.3%
0
14
190.00-23.3%
9
32
195.00-21.2%
2
113
200.00-19.2%
10
267
210.00-15.2%
9
284
220.00-11.1%
41
233
230.00-7.1%
247
301
240.00-3.1%
600
158
250.001.0%
719
14
260.005.0%
512
0
270.009.1%
247
2
280.0013.1%
221
0
290.0017.1%
464
1
300.0021.2%
114
0
310.0025.2%
31
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.
0.39
21 Aug
21d
0.39
18 Sep
49d
0.39
16 Oct
77d
0.39
18 Dec
140d
0.38
15 Jan
168d
0.39
19 Mar
231d
0.43
17 Jun
321d
0.40
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.
200
210
220
230
240
250
260
270
280
290
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 interest99%
- Chain status
- Complete available chain
- Market date
- 31 Jul 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 566 / 566
- 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.
The options read is mixed, so divergence is not strong enough to classify.
Multi-expiry position-maintenance candidate matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $10.2M of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 91+ days · itm, and a no clean flow/price divergence backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure-15
1W price+4.6%
Call premium65%
Put premium35%
Notional split
C 65% / P 35%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.07
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
82/100
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 397 contracts traded, $3.6M estimated gross traded notional, and 35% of visible notional.
$3.6M
Puts · 91+ days · ITM
puts cluster with 471 contracts traded, $2.8M estimated gross traded notional, and 27% of visible notional.
$2.8M
Calls · 91+ days · OTM
calls cluster with 606 contracts traded, $1.5M estimated gross traded notional, and 15% of visible notional.
$1.5M
Calls · 46-90 days · ITM
calls cluster with 122 contracts traded, $1.0M estimated gross traded notional, and 10% of visible notional.
$1.0M
Puts · 91+ days · OTM
puts cluster with 1095 contracts traded, $606076 estimated gross traded notional, and 6% of visible notional.
$606076
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
Close247.56
1W+4.6%
RS29.2
Fair value+57.0%
Options pressure-15
Speculation16
Volatility58
Trend fit82
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 10:07
Bullish
Pressure 26
Move 9.8%
30 Jul 11:37
Bullish
Pressure 49
Move 7.8%
30 Jul 16:07
Mixed
Pressure -18
Move 8.0%
31 Jul 09:23
Mixed
Pressure -18
Move 7.4%
31 Jul 13:55
Bearish
Pressure -28
Move 7.3%
31 Jul 17:31
Bearish
Pressure -20
Move 7.7%
31 Jul 19:47
Mixed
Pressure -15
Move 7.6%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike160.00
Calls · V 1 · OI 17
Puts · V 12 · OI 26
Strike165.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 1 · OI 6
Strike170.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 10 · OI 11
Strike175.00
Calls · V 2 · OI 8
Puts · V 3 · OI 4
Strike180.00
Calls · V 3 · OI 8
Puts · V 74 · OI 40
Strike185.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 7 · OI 64
Strike190.00
Calls · V 3 · OI 9
Puts · V 1 · OI 14
Strike195.00
Calls · V 1 · OI 2
Puts · V 2 · OI 32
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts38
Avg IV0.39
Put-call1.68
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts86
Avg IV0.39
Put-call1.10
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Contracts61
Avg IV0.39
Put-call1.52
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts69
Avg IV0.39
Put-call2.79
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Contracts87
Avg IV0.38
Put-call0.98
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.36
Put IV0.36
Skew0.00
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.39
Put IV0.37
Skew-0.02
16 Oct 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.38
Put IV0.38
Skew0.00
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.39
Put IV0.37
Skew-0.02
15 Jan 2027Balanced skew
Call IV0.39
Put IV0.36
Skew-0.03
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractNUE260918P00330000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike330.00
Volume-
OI-
IV0.49
ContractNUE261016P00330000
SidePut
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Strike330.00
Volume-
OI-
IV0.41
ContractNUE261016P00340000
SidePut
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Strike340.00
Volume-
OI-
IV0.43
ContractNUE260918P00320000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike320.00
Volume-
OI-
IV0.45
ContractNUE270319P00090000
SidePut
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Strike90.00
Volume-
OI20
IV0.69
ContractNUE270319P00110000
SidePut
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Strike110.00
Volume-
OI15
IV0.62
ContractNUE261218C00105000
SideCall
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Strike105.00
Volume-
OI10
IV0.00
ContractNUE270617P00230000
SidePut
Expiry17 Jun 2027
Strike230.00
Volume-
OI9
IV0.44
Research Graph
Related research and context
Sharemaestro research
Related News
Market Watch
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.