Primary read
Bullish
Call-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
HIG options intelligence
Hartford Financial Services Group options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
34
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 1 Aug 2026 16:09 · complete available chain
Call-side pressure
Bullish pressure
HIG currently carries bullish options pressure with a 34/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 4.5%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.00.
Expected move
4.5%
Near-term move context
Activity / OI
0.00
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.44
Call-side skew
Trend fit
45
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
+1.0%
RS -2.1
Expected move
4.5%
Put-call volume
0.44
Volume / OI
0.00
Reference IV
0.21
Max pain
140.00
Underlying
141.91
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
184
Research Brief
HIG has a bullish chain read with 34/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 135.49–148.33; The largest call open-interest concentration is 145.00; the largest put concentration is 120.00. The most active strike by current volume is 140.00.
Priced range135.49–148.33
Call concentration145.00
Put concentration120.00
Max pain reference140.00
- 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 135.49 to 148.33. Max pain at 140.00 sits inside that range, 1.3% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
135.49141.91 ± 6.42148.33
Confirmation level
A close beyond 148.33 or below 135.49 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 34/100
Pressure is 44/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure44 × 42%
+18.6
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation2 × 22%
+0.3
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement45 × 26%
+11.8
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility33 × 10%
+3.3
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 145.00; the largest put concentration is 120.00. The most active strike by current volume is 140.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
0
75.00-47.1%
0
0
80.00-43.6%
0
0
85.00-40.1%
0
0
90.00-36.6%
0
0
95.00-33.1%
0
0
100.00-29.5%
0
0
105.00-26.0%
0
0
110.00-22.5%
0
490
120.00-15.4%
0
26
125.00-11.9%
1
42
130.00-8.4%
13
85
135.00-4.9%
26
135
140.00-1.3%
511
1
145.002.2%
1601
0
150.005.7%
1011
0
155.009.2%
17
0
160.0012.7%
3
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.
0.21
21 Aug
21d
0.22
18 Sep
49d
0.23
18 Dec
140d
0.23
19 Mar
231d
Volatility by Strike
Balanced wings
Comparable upside calls and downside puts carry broadly similar implied volatility.
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
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
- 184 / 184
- 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.
Call-side pressure is building before a meaningful weekly price response.
Multi-expiry position-maintenance candidate matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $9485 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 91+ days · otm, and a bullish flow before price confirmation backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure+44
1W price+1.0%
Call premium78%
Put premium22%
Notional split
C 78% / P 22%
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
45/100
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 · OTM
calls cluster with 9 contracts traded, $4405 estimated gross traded notional, and 46% of visible notional.
$4405
Calls · 8-21 days · ATM
calls cluster with 7 contracts traded, $3028 estimated gross traded notional, and 32% of visible notional.
$3028
Puts · 46-90 days · OTM
puts cluster with 5 contracts traded, $912 estimated gross traded notional, and 10% of visible notional.
$912
Puts · 91+ days · ATM
puts cluster with 1 contracts traded, $655 estimated gross traded notional, and 7% of visible notional.
$655
Puts · 91+ days · OTM
puts cluster with 1 contracts traded, $485 estimated gross traded notional, and 5% of visible notional.
$485
Setup Classification
Opportunity and risk frame
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
Close141.91
1W+1.0%
RS-2.1
Fair value+27.9%
Options pressure44
Speculation2
Volatility33
Trend fit45
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 10:12
Bearish
Pressure -19
Move 4.9%
30 Jul 10:09
Bullish
Pressure 60
Move 6.3%
31 Jul 10:04
Bullish
Pressure 20
Move 5.1%
1 Aug 15:09
Bullish
Pressure 44
Move 4.5%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike75.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike80.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike85.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike90.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike95.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike100.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike105.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike110.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts46
Avg IV0.21
Put-call-
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts46
Avg IV0.22
Put-call-
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts46
Avg IV0.23
Put-call0.29
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Contracts46
Avg IV0.23
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.23
Put IV0.23
Skew-
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.21
Put IV0.25
Skew0.04
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.21
Put IV0.25
Skew0.04
19 Mar 2027Put IV premium
Call IV0.20
Put IV0.26
Skew0.06
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractHIG260821C00140000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike140.00
Volume7
OI511
IV0.23
ContractHIG261218C00150000
SideCall
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Strike150.00
Volume7
OI99
IV0.21
ContractHIG260918P00130000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike130.00
Volume5
OI90
IV0.31
ContractHIG270319C00160000
SideCall
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Strike160.00
Volume2
OI11
IV0.22
ContractHIG261218P00135000
SidePut
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Strike135.00
Volume1
OI85
IV0.25
ContractHIG261218P00140000
SidePut
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Strike140.00
Volume1
OI18
IV0.24
ContractHIG260821C00145000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike145.00
Volume-
OI1601
IV0.26
ContractHIG260821C00150000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike150.00
Volume-
OI1011
IV0.23
Research Graph
Related research and context
Sharemaestro research
Related News
No recent ticker-specific news yet.
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.