Primary read
Bullish
Call-side pressure
Ticker Options Intelligence
NB options intelligence
NioCorp Developments Ltd. Common Stock options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
40
Market data through 11 Aug 2026
Checked 12 Aug 2026 14:25 · complete available chain
Call-side pressure
Bullish pressure
NB currently carries bullish options pressure with a 40/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 8.9%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.07.
Expected move
8.9%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.07
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.48
Call-side skew
Trend fit
12
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
+26.0%
RS -18.1
Expected move
8.9%
Put-call volume
0.48
Volume / OI
0.07
Reference IV
0.93
Max pain
5.50
Underlying
5.36
Nearest expiry
14 Aug 2026
Contracts
292
Research Brief
NB has a bullish chain read with 40/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 4.88–5.84; The largest call open-interest concentration is 5.00; the largest put concentration is 5.50. The most active strike by current volume is 5.50.
Priced range4.88–5.84
Call concentration5.00
Put concentration5.50
Max pain reference5.50
- 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 4.88 to 5.84. Max pain at 5.50 sits inside that range, 2.6% above spot.
Spot
Max pain
4.885.36 ± 0.485.84
Confirmation level
A close beyond 5.84 or below 4.88 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 40/100
Pressure is 44/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure44 × 42%
+18.5
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation42 × 22%
+9.2
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement12 × 26%
+3.2
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility91 × 10%
+9.1
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 5.00; the largest put concentration is 5.50. The most active strike by current volume is 5.50. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
3
1.00-81.3%
4
0
1.50-72.0%
3
0
2.00-62.7%
5
1
2.50-53.4%
1
0
3.00-44.0%
11
3
3.50-34.7%
11
9
4.00-25.4%
76
105
4.50-16.0%
125
164
5.00-6.7%
689
2002
5.502.6%
624
28
6.0011.9%
574
1
6.5021.3%
171
17
7.0030.6%
126
1
7.5039.9%
1
0
8.0049.3%
2
1
8.5058.6%
0
2
9.0067.9%
2
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+$160,088Delta change / 1% move
Positive peak7.50+$59,217
Negative peak5.50-$18,396
Nearest balance5.34Interpolated sign change
StrikeNegativePositiveNet / 1% move
1.00-81.3%
+$1
1.50-72.0%
+$1
2.00-62.7%
+$3
2.50-53.4%
-$307
3.00-44.0%
+$109
3.50-34.7%
+$6
4.00-25.4%
-$413
4.50-16.0%
+$43
5.00-6.7%
+$37,352
5.502.6%
-$18,396
6.0011.9%
+$9,020
6.5021.3%
+$17,310
7.0030.6%
+$1,147
7.5039.9%
+$59,217
8.0049.3%
+$294
9.0067.9%
+$6
10.0086.6%
+$34,185
12.50133.2%
+$9,236
15.00179.9%
+$6,022
17.50226.5%
+$469
20.00273.1%
+$4,782
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.
0.93
14 Aug
3d
1.12
21 Aug
10d
1.01
28 Aug
17d
1.04
4 Sep
24d
1.00
11 Sep
31d
0.93
18 Sep
38d
1.00
25 Sep
45d
1.02
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.
5
5
6
6
Put IV Call IV
Historical Replay
How matured reads behaved through expiry
Across 2 stored directional transitions, the next stored price moved in the labelled direction 100% of the time.
Directional follow-through100%
Moves contained by pricing33%
Average expiry move22.1%
6 Aug
Bullish · 41
26.0% through expiry
28.2% priced · v2.0
5 Aug
Volatility · 54
26.0% through expiry
12.5% priced · v2.0
4 Aug
Volatility · 62
26.0% through expiry
19.4% priced · v2.0
3 Aug
Bullish · 36
26.0% through expiry
9.4% priced · v2.0
31 Jul
Volatility · 51
26.0% through expiry
11.8% priced · v2.0
30 Jul
Volatility · 59
2.8% through expiry
10.9% 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
- 292 / 292
- 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
Short-dated OTM call concentration
Call activity is concentrated in upside and shorter-dated contracts; trade direction remains unconfirmed without aggressor data.
Options pressure and weekly price action are pointing in the same constructive direction.
Short-dated OTM call concentration matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $325,785 of estimated gross traded notional, calls · 91+ days · otm, and a bullish flow confirms price backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure+44
1W price+26.0%
Call premium75%
Put premium25%
Notional split
C 75% / P 25%
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
12/100
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.
Calls · 91+ days · OTM
calls cluster with 1387 contracts traded, $131,158 estimated gross traded notional, and 40% of visible notional.
$131,158
Puts · 0-7 days · ITM
puts cluster with 2018 contracts traded, $67,500 estimated gross traded notional, and 21% of visible notional.
$67,500
Calls · 8-21 days · ITM
calls cluster with 663 contracts traded, $46,125 estimated gross traded notional, and 14% of visible notional.
$46,125
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 178 contracts traded, $31,555 estimated gross traded notional, and 10% of visible notional.
$31,555
Calls · 8-21 days · OTM
calls cluster with 461 contracts traded, $10,501 estimated gross traded notional, and 3% of visible notional.
$10,501
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.
Call pressure is building while the stock sits above Sharemaestro fair value.
Activity Anomaly
Normal range
Activity is broadly in line with recent stored snapshots.
Baseline: 10 completed sessions
Volume rank90th
Volume/OI rank90th
IV rank10th
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close5.36
1W+26.0%
RS-18.1
Fair value+49.9%
Options pressure44
Speculation42
Volatility91
Trend fit12
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg 13.1% · 10 sessions
10th
90d avg - · 10/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 10/60 sessions
-
30d avg 1.39 · 10 sessions
10th
90d avg - · 10/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 10/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.29 · 10 sessions
80th
90d avg - · 10/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 10/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.06 · 10 sessions
90th
90d avg - · 10/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 10/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 11:17
Bullish
Pressure 51
Move 8.5%
30 Jul 11:02
Bullish
Pressure 53
Move 9.1%
31 Jul 06:44
Volatility
Pressure 96
Move 10.9%
2 Aug 22:47
Volatility
Pressure 94
Move 11.8%
4 Aug 10:45
Bullish
Pressure 29
Move 9.4%
4 Aug 19:20
Volatility
Pressure 99
Move 31.1%
5 Aug 04:42
Volatility
Pressure 99
Move 19.4%
6 Aug 10:31
Volatility
Pressure 88
Move 12.5%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike1.00
Calls · V 2 · OI 4
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Strike1.50
Calls · V 6 · OI 3
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike2.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 5
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike2.50
Calls · V 2 · OI 1
Puts · V 0 · OI 1
Strike3.00
Calls · V 1 · OI 11
Puts · V 0 · OI 0
Strike3.50
Calls · V 1 · OI 11
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Strike4.00
Calls · V 3 · OI 76
Puts · V 0 · OI 9
Strike4.50
Calls · V 3 · OI 125
Puts · V 0 · OI 105
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry14 Aug 2026
Contracts36
Avg IV0.93
Put-call1.07
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts40
Avg IV1.12
Put-call0.06
Expiry28 Aug 2026
Contracts40
Avg IV1.01
Put-call1.16
Expiry4 Sep 2026
Contracts40
Avg IV1.04
Put-call0.73
Expiry11 Sep 2026
Contracts38
Avg IV1.00
Put-call6.88
Skew
Call/put IV balance
14 Aug 2026Call IV premium
Call IV1.08
Put IV0.56
Skew-0.52
21 Aug 2026Put IV premium
Call IV1.10
Put IV1.20
Skew0.10
28 Aug 2026Call IV premium
Call IV1.06
Put IV0.87
Skew-0.19
4 Sep 2026Call IV premium
Call IV1.13
Put IV0.97
Skew-0.16
11 Sep 2026Balanced skew
Call IV1.14
Put IV1.10
Skew-0.04
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractNB260814P00005500
SidePut
Expiry14 Aug 2026
Strike5.50
Volume2009
OI2002
IV1.30
ContractNB260814C00006000
SideCall
Expiry14 Aug 2026
Strike6.00
Volume1717
OI574
IV0.79
ContractNB270219C00007500
SideCall
Expiry19 Feb 2027
Strike7.50
Volume1250
OI1831
IV0.99
ContractNB260821C00005000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike5.00
Volume642
OI4591
IV1.05
ContractNB260821C00006000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike6.00
Volume207
OI250
IV1.44
ContractNB260814C00005500
SideCall
Expiry14 Aug 2026
Strike5.50
Volume115
OI624
IV1.08
ContractNB260821C00007500
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike7.50
Volume110
OI9467
IV1.03
ContractNB260821C00005500
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike5.50
Volume105
OI450
IV1.29
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.