Primary read
Volatility
Volatility expansion watch
Ticker Options Intelligence
LAC options intelligence
Lithium Americas Corp options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
50
Market data through 11 Aug 2026
Checked 12 Aug 2026 12:05 · complete available chain
Volatility expansion watch
Volatility pressure
LAC currently carries volatility options pressure with a 50/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 9.6%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.01.
Expected move
9.6%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.01
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.20
Call-side skew
Trend fit
0
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
+12.5%
RS -38.4
Expected move
9.6%
Put-call volume
0.20
Volume / OI
0.01
Reference IV
1.41
Max pain
3.00
Underlying
3.23
Nearest expiry
14 Aug 2026
Contracts
296
Research Brief
LAC has a volatility chain read with 50/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 2.92–3.54; The largest call open-interest concentration is 3.50; the largest put concentration is 3.00. The most active strike by current volume is 3.50.
Priced range2.92–3.54
Call concentration3.50
Put concentration3.00
Max pain reference3.00
- 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 2.92 to 3.54. Max pain at 3.00 sits inside that range, 7.1% below spot.
Spot
Max pain
2.923.23 ± 0.313.54
Confirmation level
A close beyond 3.54 or below 2.92 at the 14 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 50/100
Pressure is 76/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure76 × 42%
+32.1
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation40 × 22%
+8.9
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement0 × 26%
+0.0
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility94 × 10%
+9.4
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 3.50; the largest put concentration is 3.00. The most active strike by current volume is 3.50. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
2
0.50-84.5%
4
0
1.00-69.0%
3
0
1.50-53.6%
2
1
2.00-38.1%
15
387
2.50-22.6%
408
622
3.00-7.1%
1035
105
3.508.4%
1701
122
4.0023.8%
1285
3
4.5039.3%
79
8
5.0054.8%
209
2
5.5070.3%
12
1
6.0085.8%
3
6
6.50101.2%
57
0
7.00116.7%
9
0
7.50132.2%
8
0
8.00147.7%
3
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Gamma Profile by Strike
Positive gamma proxy
Call-side gamma sensitivity outweighs the put-side proxy across the retained chain. The largest bars mark levels where delta-hedging sensitivity may be most concentrated.
Net profile+$336,445Delta change / 1% move
Positive peak3.50+$88,587
Negative peak2.50-$4,040
Nearest balance2.59Interpolated sign change
StrikeNegativePositiveNet / 1% move
0.50-84.5%
+$52
1.00-69.0%
+$173
1.50-53.6%
+$697
2.00-38.1%
+$1,648
2.50-22.6%
-$4,040
3.00-7.1%
+$18,602
3.508.4%
+$88,587
4.0023.8%
+$43,086
4.5039.3%
+$11,780
5.0054.8%
+$31,747
5.5070.3%
+$26,103
6.0085.8%
+$2
6.50101.2%
+$29
7.00116.7%
+$8
7.50132.2%
+$47,849
8.00147.7%
+$1
10.00209.6%
+$47,153
12.50287.0%
+$3,480
15.00364.4%
+$8,604
17.50441.8%
+$1,692
20.00519.2%
+$9,192
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
Front-loaded volatility
Near-term options are materially richer than later expirations, consistent with concentrated event or immediate-risk pricing.
1.41
14 Aug
3d
0.75
21 Aug
10d
0.71
28 Aug
17d
0.75
4 Sep
24d
0.77
11 Sep
31d
0.72
18 Sep
38d
0.76
25 Sep
45d
0.74
20 Nov
101d
Volatility by Strike
Downside protection premium
Out-of-the-money puts carry higher implied volatility than comparable calls, indicating richer downside protection.
3
4
Put IV Call IV
Historical Replay
How matured reads behaved through expiry
Across 1 stored directional transitions, the next stored price moved in the labelled direction 100% of the time.
Directional follow-through100%
Moves contained by pricing17%
Average expiry move10.8%
6 Aug
Volatility · 56
12.5% through expiry
5.2% priced · v2.0
5 Aug
Bullish · 37
12.5% through expiry
6.3% priced · v2.0
4 Aug
Volatility · 60
12.5% through expiry
8.0% priced · v2.0
3 Aug
Volatility · 55
12.5% through expiry
7.5% priced · v2.0
31 Jul
Volatility · 49
12.5% through expiry
9.2% priced · v2.0
30 Jul
Volatility · 53
2.1% through expiry
4.6% priced · v2.0
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
- 11 Aug 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 296 / 296
- 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: $159,990 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 91+ 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+76
1W price+12.5%
Call premium84%
Put premium16%
Notional split
C 84% / P 16%
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
0/100
Agreement between options pressure and Sharemaestro market context.
Event window
13 Aug
Matched earnings event is 0 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 · OTM
calls cluster with 1952 contracts traded, $56,926 estimated gross traded notional, and 36% of visible notional.
$56,926
Calls · 22-45 days · ITM
calls cluster with 182 contracts traded, $42,830 estimated gross traded notional, and 27% of visible notional.
$42,830
Calls · 22-45 days · OTM
calls cluster with 606 contracts traded, $12,742 estimated gross traded notional, and 8% of visible notional.
$12,742
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 75 contracts traded, $10,690 estimated gross traded notional, and 7% of visible notional.
$10,690
Puts · 0-7 days · ITM
puts cluster with 69 contracts traded, $5,992 estimated gross traded notional, and 4% of visible notional.
$5,992
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.
Options positioning is not confirming the underlying trend context.
Activity Anomaly
Warming up
9 of 10 completed market sessions are available. More session history is needed before activity can be compared with a reliable normal.
Baseline: 9 completed sessions
Volume rank-
Volume/OI rank-
IV rank-
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close3.23
1W+12.5%
RS-38.4
Fair value-23.9%
Options pressure76
Speculation40
Volatility94
Trend fit0
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg - · 9/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 9/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 9/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 9/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 9/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 9/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 9/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 9/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 9/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 9/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 9/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 9/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 11:02
Volatility
Pressure 87
Move 10.0%
30 Jul 10:51
Volatility
Pressure 65
Move 11.4%
31 Jul 03:44
Volatility
Pressure 71
Move 4.6%
31 Jul 13:32
Volatility
Pressure 88
Move 4.6%
31 Jul 14:23
Bullish
Pressure 56
Move 5.5%
31 Jul 15:40
Bullish
Pressure 47
Move 6.4%
31 Jul 19:37
Bullish
Pressure 46
Move 5.5%
1 Aug 04:20
Volatility
Pressure 74
Move 9.4%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike0.50
Calls · V 5 · OI 4
Puts · V 0 · OI 2
Strike1.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 3
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike1.50
Calls · V 6 · OI 2
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike2.00
Calls · V 2 · OI 15
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike2.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 408
Puts · V 0 · OI 387
Strike3.00
Calls · V 37 · OI 1035
Puts · V 61 · OI 622
Strike3.50
Calls · V 508 · OI 1701
Puts · V 45 · OI 105
Strike4.00
Calls · V 100 · OI 1285
Puts · V 12 · OI 122
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry14 Aug 2026
Contracts32
Avg IV1.41
Put-call0.20
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts28
Avg IV0.75
Put-call0.29
Expiry28 Aug 2026
Contracts28
Avg IV0.71
Put-call2.07
Expiry4 Sep 2026
Contracts24
Avg IV0.75
Put-call2.23
Expiry11 Sep 2026
Contracts24
Avg IV0.77
Put-call9.10
Skew
Call/put IV balance
14 Aug 2026Put IV premium
Call IV0.81
Put IV1.14
Skew0.33
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.84
Put IV0.81
Skew-0.03
28 Aug 2026Put IV premium
Call IV0.73
Put IV0.80
Skew0.07
4 Sep 2026Put IV premium
Call IV0.70
Put IV0.78
Skew0.08
11 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.74
Put IV0.75
Skew0.01
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractLAC270115C00005000
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike5.00
Volume531
OI12326
IV0.78
ContractLAC260814C00003500
SideCall
Expiry14 Aug 2026
Strike3.50
Volume508
OI1701
IV0.81
ContractLAC260918C00003500
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike3.50
Volume477
OI14056
IV0.78
ContractLAC270115C00010000
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike10.00
Volume351
OI26174
IV0.94
ContractLAC260828P00003000
SidePut
Expiry28 Aug 2026
Strike3.00
Volume236
OI887
IV0.80
ContractLAC280121C00010000
SideCall
Expiry21 Jan 2028
Strike10.00
Volume168
OI19959
IV0.84
ContractLAC270115C00007500
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike7.50
Volume136
OI17871
IV0.86
ContractLAC260925C00000500
SideCall
Expiry25 Sep 2026
Strike0.50
Volume115
OI-
IV0.01
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.