Primary read
Volatility
Volatility expansion watch
Ticker Options Intelligence
UTI options intelligence
Universal Technical Institute Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
47
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 1 Aug 2026 11:44 · complete available chain
Volatility expansion watch
Volatility pressure
UTI currently carries volatility options pressure with a 47/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 17.2%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.01.
Expected move
17.2%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.01
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
4.90
Put-side skew
Trend fit
48
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
+4.0%
RS 11.1
Expected move
17.2%
Put-call volume
4.90
Volume / OI
0.01
Reference IV
0.87
Max pain
40.00
Underlying
37.78
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
228
Research Brief
UTI has a volatility chain read with 47/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 31.28–44.28; The largest call open-interest concentration is 42.50; the largest put concentration is 32.50. The most active strike by current volume is 20.00.
Priced range31.28–44.28
Call concentration42.50
Put concentration32.50
Max pain reference40.00
- 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.
- Front-expiry volatility is rich, so the signal may be event-driven and vulnerable to volatility compression.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 31.28 to 44.28. Max pain at 40.00 sits inside that range, 5.9% above spot.
Spot
Max pain
31.2837.78 ± 6.5044.28
Confirmation level
A close beyond 44.28 or below 31.28 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 47/100
Pressure is 58/100 toward puts; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure58 × 42%
+24.3
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation4 × 22%
+0.8
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement48 × 26%
+12.5
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility96 × 10%
+9.6
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 42.50; the largest put concentration is 32.50. The most active strike by current volume is 20.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
219
20.00-47.1%
0
4
25.00-33.8%
0
3
27.50-27.2%
0
42
30.00-20.6%
2
2199
32.50-14.0%
1
767
35.00-7.4%
4
212
37.50-0.7%
110
165
40.005.9%
2051
18
42.5012.5%
2128
31
45.0019.1%
94
44
47.5025.7%
38
4
50.0032.3%
30
0
52.5039.0%
106
2
55.0045.6%
16
0
57.5052.2%
35
0
60.0058.8%
5
0
65.0072.0%
125
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Volatility Curve
Front-loaded volatility
Near-term options are materially richer than later expirations, consistent with concentrated event or immediate-risk pricing.
0.87
21 Aug
21d
0.74
18 Sep
49d
0.70
16 Oct
77d
0.70
20 Nov
112d
0.69
18 Dec
140d
0.67
15 Jan
168d
Volatility by Strike
Upside optionality premium
Out-of-the-money calls carry higher implied volatility than comparable puts, indicating richer upside optionality.
33
35
38
40
43
45
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
- 228 / 228
- 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
Earnings/event positioning
Options activity is concentrated around a live event window, so the cleanest read is event positioning rather than pure direction.
Options are pricing movement more than direction; compare expected move with the stock's actual weekly change.
Earnings/event positioning matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $8245 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 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-58
1W price+4.0%
Call premium66%
Put premium34%
Notional split
C 66% / P 34%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.01
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
48/100
Agreement between options pressure and Sharemaestro market context.
Event window
5 Aug
Matched earnings event is 3 days away.
Aggregate chain data does not identify trade aggressor or opening versus closing activity; call/put concentration is not proof of market direction.
Calls · 8-21 days · OTM
calls cluster with 21 contracts traded, $5482 estimated gross traded notional, and 66% of visible notional.
$5482
Puts · 8-21 days · OTM
puts cluster with 101 contracts traded, $1018 estimated gross traded notional, and 12% of visible notional.
$1018
Puts · 91+ days · ITM
puts cluster with 1 contracts traded, $915 estimated gross traded notional, and 11% of visible notional.
$915
Puts · 46-90 days · ITM
puts cluster with 1 contracts traded, $830 estimated gross traded notional, and 10% of visible notional.
$830
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
Close39.31
1W+4.0%
RS11.1
Fair value+65.5%
Options pressure-58
Speculation4
Volatility96
Trend fit48
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 10:59
Volatility
Pressure 85
Move 18.0%
30 Jul 10:49
Volatility
Pressure 66
Move 19.7%
31 Jul 12:15
Volatility
Pressure 76
Move 17.8%
1 Aug 10:44
Volatility
Pressure -58
Move 17.2%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike20.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 100 · OI 219
Strike22.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike25.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 1 · OI 4
Strike27.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Strike30.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 2
Puts · V 0 · OI 42
Strike32.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 2199
Strike35.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 4
Puts · V 0 · OI 767
Strike37.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 110
Puts · V 0 · OI 212
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts36
Avg IV0.87
Put-call4.81
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts32
Avg IV0.74
Put-call-
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Contracts42
Avg IV0.70
Put-call-
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Contracts40
Avg IV0.70
Put-call-
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts40
Avg IV0.69
Put-call-
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Call IV premium
Call IV0.93
Put IV0.83
Skew-0.10
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.77
Put IV0.73
Skew-0.04
16 Oct 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.71
Put IV0.71
Skew-
20 Nov 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.69
Put IV0.71
Skew0.02
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.66
Put IV0.70
Skew0.04
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractUTI260821P00020000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike20.00
Volume100
OI219
IV1.08
ContractUTI260821C00040000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike40.00
Volume16
OI2051
IV0.87
ContractUTI260821C00042500
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike42.50
Volume2
OI2128
IV0.90
ContractUTI260821C00050000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike50.00
Volume2
OI30
IV0.92
ContractUTI260821C00047500
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike47.50
Volume1
OI38
IV0.93
ContractUTI261016P00045000
SidePut
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Strike45.00
Volume1
OI5
IV0.68
ContractUTI260821P00025000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike25.00
Volume1
OI4
IV1.14
ContractUTI261120P00045000
SidePut
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Strike45.00
Volume1
OI-
IV0.68
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
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.