Primary read
Volatility
Volatility expansion watch
Ticker Options Intelligence
MKSI options intelligence
MKS Instruments Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
47
Market data through 31 Jul 2026
Checked 1 Aug 2026 14:00 · complete available chain
Volatility expansion watch
Volatility pressure
MKSI currently carries volatility options pressure with a 47/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 18.8%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.07.
Expected move
18.8%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.07
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.95
Balanced tape
Trend fit
95
Options agree with trend context
Weekly backdrop
-9.6%
RS 26.9
Expected move
18.8%
Put-call volume
0.95
Volume / OI
0.07
Reference IV
0.99
Max pain
340.00
Underlying
297.45
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
916
Research Brief
MKSI 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 241.40–353.50; The largest call open-interest concentration is 350.00; the largest put concentration is 270.00. The most active strike by current volume is 330.00.
Priced range241.40–353.50
Call concentration350.00
Put concentration270.00
Max pain reference340.00
- 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.
- 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 241.40 to 353.50. Max pain at 340.00 sits inside that range, 14.3% above spot.
Spot
Max pain
241.40297.45 ± 56.05353.50
Confirmation level
A close beyond 353.50 or below 241.40 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 8/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure8 × 42%
+3.3
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation42 × 22%
+9.2
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement95 × 26%
+24.7
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 350.00; the largest put concentration is 270.00. The most active strike by current volume is 330.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
116
260.00-12.6%
36
516
270.00-9.2%
49
129
280.00-5.9%
3
137
300.000.9%
42
361
310.004.2%
251
80
320.007.6%
63
71
330.0010.9%
261
107
340.0014.3%
112
24
350.0017.7%
274
110
360.0021.0%
173
59
380.0027.8%
101
11
400.0034.5%
98
201
420.0041.2%
243
6
450.0051.3%
68
48
470.0058.0%
138
0
500.0068.1%
209
0
510.0071.5%
105
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.
0.99
21 Aug
21d
0.90
18 Sep
49d
0.86
16 Oct
77d
0.79
18 Dec
140d
0.78
15 Jan
168d
0.76
19 Feb
203d
0.74
21 May
294d
0.72
20 Aug
385d
Volatility by Strike
Balanced wings
Comparable upside calls and downside puts carry broadly similar implied volatility.
240
250
260
270
280
290
300
310
320
330
340
350
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
- 916 / 916
- 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: $3.2M of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 91+ days · itm, 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+8
1W price-9.6%
Call premium52%
Put premium48%
Notional split
C 52% / P 48%
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
95/100
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 · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 43 contracts traded, $674495 estimated gross traded notional, and 21% of visible notional.
$674495
Puts · 46-90 days · OTM
puts cluster with 189 contracts traded, $564655 estimated gross traded notional, and 17% of visible notional.
$564655
Puts · 46-90 days · ATM
puts cluster with 100 contracts traded, $392500 estimated gross traded notional, and 12% of visible notional.
$392500
Calls · 46-90 days · OTM
calls cluster with 130 contracts traded, $362455 estimated gross traded notional, and 11% of visible notional.
$362455
Calls · 8-21 days · OTM
calls cluster with 277 contracts traded, $341180 estimated gross traded notional, and 11% of visible notional.
$341180
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
Close297.45
1W-9.6%
RS26.9
Fair value+110.3%
Options pressure8
Speculation42
Volatility96
Trend fit95
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 10:18
Volatility
Pressure 48
Move 21.9%
30 Jul 10:13
Volatility
Pressure 16
Move 25.9%
31 Jul 10:05
Mixed
Pressure -10
Move 20.0%
1 Aug 09:22
Volatility
Pressure 8
Move 19.6%
1 Aug 13:00
Volatility
Pressure 8
Move 18.8%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike160.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike165.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike170.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike175.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike180.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike185.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike190.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike195.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts104
Avg IV0.99
Put-call0.82
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts90
Avg IV0.90
Put-call4.01
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Contracts110
Avg IV0.86
Put-call-
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts102
Avg IV0.79
Put-call0.14
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Contracts102
Avg IV0.78
Put-call0.14
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV1.00
Put IV1.02
Skew0.02
18 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.88
Put IV0.89
Skew0.01
16 Oct 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.84
Put IV0.88
Skew0.04
18 Dec 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.79
Put IV0.81
Skew0.02
15 Jan 2027Balanced skew
Call IV0.78
Put IV0.79
Skew0.01
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractMKSI260821C00330000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike330.00
Volume145
OI261
IV0.99
ContractMKSI260918P00290000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike290.00
Volume141
OI13
IV0.89
ContractMKSI260821P00300000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike300.00
Volume117
OI137
IV0.97
ContractMKSI260821P00280000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike280.00
Volume111
OI129
IV1.00
ContractMKSI260918P00300000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike300.00
Volume100
OI237
IV0.89
ContractMKSI270219C00490000
SideCall
Expiry19 Feb 2027
Strike490.00
Volume68
OI364
IV0.77
ContractMKSI261016C00320000
SideCall
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Strike320.00
Volume66
OI579
IV0.85
ContractMKSI260918C00370000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike370.00
Volume61
OI21
IV0.89
Research Graph
Related research and context
Sharemaestro research
Related News
Market Watch
MKS Instruments Inc (MKSI) slips 5.9% after sharp four-week advance9 Jul 2026 08:39
MKS Instruments Inc (MKSI) weekly setback contrasts with active trend6 Jul 2026 09:25
MKS Instruments Inc (MKSI) adds 14.2% as weekly rerating accelerates26 Jun 2026 14:39
MKS Instruments Inc (MKSI) gains 14.2% on steady weekly turnover23 Jun 2026 14:16
MKS Instruments Inc (MKSI) jumps 17.9% in weekly technology advance18 Jun 2026 18:22
MKS Instruments Inc (MKSI) extends 12-week surge to 56.6%17 Jun 2026 01:50
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.