Primary read
Bullish
Call-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
AEP options intelligence
American Electric Power Co Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
36
Market data through 12 Aug 2026
Checked 13 Aug 2026 11:04 · complete available chain
Call-side pressure
Bullish pressure
AEP currently carries bullish options pressure with a 36/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 2.3%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.01.
Expected move
2.3%
Near-term move context
Activity / OI
0.01
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.32
Call-side skew
Trend fit
29
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
-1.7%
RS -10.1
Expected move
2.3%
Put-call volume
0.32
Volume / OI
0.01
Reference IV
0.22
Max pain
130.00
Underlying
125.73
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
478
Research Brief
AEP has a bullish chain read with 36/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 122.78–128.68; The largest call open-interest concentration is 145.00; the largest put concentration is 125.00. The most active strike by current volume is 135.00.
Priced range122.78–128.68
Call concentration145.00
Put concentration125.00
Max pain reference130.00
- 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 122.78 to 128.68. Max pain at 130.00 lies outside the priced range, so it is a weak near-term anchor.
Spot
Max pain
122.78125.73 ± 2.95128.68
Confirmation level
A close beyond 128.68 or below 122.78 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 36/100
Pressure is 57/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure57 × 42%
+24.1
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation8 × 22%
+1.8
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement29 × 26%
+7.4
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility25 × 10%
+2.5
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 125.00. The most active strike by current volume is 135.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
7
60.00-52.3%
0
38
90.00-28.4%
0
21
95.00-24.4%
0
73
100.00-20.5%
0
72
105.00-16.5%
0
1463
110.00-12.5%
0
1176
115.00-8.5%
0
1279
120.00-4.6%
8
2306
125.00-0.6%
160
315
130.003.4%
482
51
135.007.4%
2266
1
140.0011.3%
2354
0
145.0015.3%
2518
0
150.0019.3%
734
0
155.0023.3%
263
0
160.0027.3%
24
0
165.0031.2%
78
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Gamma Profile by Strike
Balanced gamma proxy
Call- and put-side gamma sensitivity is broadly balanced across the retained chain. Individual strike concentrations may still matter more than the chain-wide net.
Net profile-$1.8MDelta change / 1% move
Positive peak140.00+$1.5M
Negative peak125.00-$4.3M
Nearest balance129.05Interpolated sign change
StrikeNegativePositiveNet / 1% move
80.00-36.4%
-$2,424
85.00-32.4%
-$7,097
90.00-28.4%
-$12,858
95.00-24.4%
-$14,165
97.50-22.5%
-$6,462
100.00-20.5%
-$72,278
105.00-16.5%
-$69,220
110.00-12.5%
-$138,574
115.00-8.5%
-$599,167
120.00-4.6%
-$1.1M
125.00-0.6%
-$4.3M
130.003.4%
+$998,665
135.007.4%
+$1.0M
140.0011.3%
+$1.5M
145.0015.3%
+$494,734
150.0019.3%
+$308,068
155.0023.3%
+$60,913
160.0027.3%
+$57,188
165.0031.2%
+$15,721
170.0035.2%
+$9,545
175.0039.2%
+$336
Positive call-side proxy Negative put-side proxyHighlighted row is nearest spot strike
Scenario proxy = gamma × open interest × 100 shares × spot² × 1%. Calls are positive and puts negative by convention. Missing Greeks use a Black-Scholes estimate from stored IV with zero rate and dividend assumptions. Open interest does not reveal who is long or short, so this is not observed dealer positioning or a forecast.
Volatility Curve
Balanced volatility curve
Near- and longer-dated implied volatility are broadly aligned; no exceptional front-expiry premium is visible.
0.22
21 Aug
9d
0.21
18 Sep
37d
0.22
20 Nov
100d
0.22
18 Dec
128d
0.21
15 Jan
156d
0.21
19 Feb
191d
0.22
19 Mar
219d
0.23
17 Jun
309d
Volatility by Strike
Balanced wings
Comparable upside calls and downside puts carry broadly similar implied volatility.
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
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
- Auditable calculationoriginal version retained
- Independent entryone read per market session
- Point-in-time referencerequired at entry
- Matched expiry closereported only after maturity
Eligible snapshots must have a dated market session, stored signal, and point-in-time market reference. Each observation uses one read per market session and the first stored weekly close on or immediately after expiry; its original calculation version is retained. It is an evidence audit, not an executable strategy or evidence of future performance.
Evidence Quality
Usable with limits
Retained chain100%
Implied volatility100%
Two-sided quotes100%
Open interest100%
- Chain status
- Complete available chain
- Market date
- 12 Aug 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 478 / 478
- 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 are leaning call-side while the stock is down on the week, a divergence that needs price confirmation.
Multi-expiry position-maintenance candidate matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $267,078 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 91+ days · atm, and a bullish flow against weak price backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure+57
1W price-1.7%
Call premium77%
Put premium23%
Notional split
C 77% / P 23%
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
29/100
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 · ATM
calls cluster with 126 contracts traded, $76,410 estimated gross traded notional, and 29% of visible notional.
$76,410
Calls · 91+ days · OTM
calls cluster with 197 contracts traded, $50,435 estimated gross traded notional, and 19% of visible notional.
$50,435
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 27 contracts traded, $33,320 estimated gross traded notional, and 12% of visible notional.
$33,320
Calls · 22-45 days · ITM
calls cluster with 35 contracts traded, $21,175 estimated gross traded notional, and 8% of visible notional.
$21,175
Puts · 22-45 days · ATM
puts cluster with 64 contracts traded, $19,200 estimated gross traded notional, and 7% of visible notional.
$19,200
Setup Classification
Opportunity and risk frame
Options positioning is not confirming the underlying trend context.
Call pressure is building while the stock sits above Sharemaestro fair value.
Activity Anomaly
Quiet tape
Activity is muted versus this ticker's stored history.
Baseline: 11 completed sessions
Volume rank9th
Volume/OI rank9th
IV rank55th
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close125.73
1W-1.7%
RS-10.1
Fair value+27.2%
Options pressure57
Speculation8
Volatility25
Trend fit29
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg 4.4% · 11 sessions
0th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.23 · 11 sessions
55th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.47 · 11 sessions
18th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.04 · 11 sessions
9th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 10:05
Bullish
Pressure 35
Move 5.5%
30 Jul 10:04
Bullish
Pressure 39
Move 5.9%
31 Jul 10:02
Bullish
Pressure 46
Move 6.4%
3 Aug 13:12
Bullish
Pressure 37
Move 4.0%
4 Aug 10:03
Bullish
Pressure 58
Move 3.8%
5 Aug 10:05
Bullish
Pressure 77
Move 3.9%
6 Aug 10:04
Bullish
Pressure 44
Move 4.5%
7 Aug 10:25
Bullish
Pressure 46
Move 4.9%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike60.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 7
Strike65.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike70.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 2
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike75.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike80.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike85.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 4
Strike90.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 38
Strike95.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 21
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts46
Avg IV0.22
Put-call0.15
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts56
Avg IV0.21
Put-call0.66
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Contracts46
Avg IV0.22
Put-call0.02
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts54
Avg IV0.22
Put-call0.73
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Contracts60
Avg IV0.21
Put-call0.15
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.21
Put IV0.23
Skew0.02
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.19
Put IV0.21
Skew0.02
20 Nov 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.21
Put IV0.24
Skew0.03
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.19
Put IV0.24
Skew0.05
15 Jan 2027Balanced skew
Call IV0.20
Put IV0.25
Skew0.05
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractAEP270115C00135000
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike135.00
Volume77
OI1018
IV0.20
ContractAEP260918P00125000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike125.00
Volume64
OI2648
IV0.19
ContractAEP261120C00125000
SideCall
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Strike125.00
Volume60
OI217
IV0.19
ContractAEP260821C00135000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike135.00
Volume49
OI2266
IV0.21
ContractAEP260918C00125000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike125.00
Volume48
OI423
IV0.19
ContractAEP260918C00135000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike135.00
Volume44
OI846
IV0.22
ContractAEP260821C00140000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike140.00
Volume40
OI2354
IV0.29
ContractAEP261120C00150000
SideCall
Expiry20 Nov 2026
Strike150.00
Volume40
OI184
IV0.23
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.