Primary read
Volatility
Volatility expansion watch
Ticker Options Intelligence
ACHR options intelligence
Archer Aviation Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
46
Market data through 14 Aug 2026
Checked 16 Aug 2026 09:04 · complete available chain
Volatility expansion watch
Volatility pressure
ACHR currently carries volatility options pressure with a 46/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 8.4%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.09.
Expected move
8.4%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.09
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
0.29
Call-side skew
Trend fit
3
Options are not fully confirming trend
Weekly backdrop
+18.4%
RS -20.1
Expected move
8.4%
Put-call volume
0.29
Volume / OI
0.09
Reference IV
0.84
Max pain
5.50
Underlying
6.62
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
376
Research Brief
ACHR has a volatility chain read with 46/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 6.07–7.17; The largest call open-interest concentration is 7.00; the largest put concentration is 5.00. The most active strike by current volume is 7.00.
Priced range6.07–7.17
Call concentration7.00
Put concentration5.00
Max pain reference5.50
- 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.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 6.07 to 7.17. Max pain at 5.50 lies outside the priced range, so it is a weak near-term anchor.
Spot
Max pain
6.076.62 ± 0.557.17
Confirmation level
A close beyond 7.17 or below 6.07 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 46/100
Pressure is 65/100 toward calls; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure65 × 42%
+27.4
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation42 × 22%
+9.3
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement3 × 26%
+0.8
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility90 × 10%
+9.0
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 7.00; the largest put concentration is 5.00. The most active strike by current volume is 7.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
0
0.50-92.4%
148
0
1.00-84.9%
375
578
3.00-54.7%
63
67
3.50-47.1%
2
2048
4.00-39.6%
320
1989
4.50-32.0%
456
5990
5.00-24.5%
5743
1407
5.50-16.9%
5066
3036
6.00-9.4%
6067
1725
6.50-1.8%
3340
1015
7.005.7%
17298
93
7.5013.3%
4467
201
8.0020.8%
4753
2
8.5028.4%
545
1
9.0036.0%
2655
3
10.0051.1%
1816
3
11.0066.2%
575
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+$2.5MDelta change / 1% move
Positive peak7.00+$948,851
Negative peak5.50-$14,031
Nearest balance5.55Interpolated sign change
StrikeNegativePositiveNet / 1% move
1.00-84.9%
+$6
1.50-77.3%
+$49
2.00-69.8%
+$690
2.50-62.2%
-$1
3.00-54.7%
+$1,981
3.50-47.1%
-$209
4.00-39.6%
-$8,835
4.50-32.0%
-$6,414
5.00-24.5%
+$8,071
5.50-16.9%
-$14,031
6.00-9.4%
+$117,714
6.50-1.8%
+$88,373
7.005.7%
+$948,851
7.5013.3%
+$108,415
8.0020.8%
+$277,826
8.5028.4%
+$11,395
9.0036.0%
+$235,848
9.5043.5%
+$439
10.0051.1%
+$300,390
11.0066.2%
+$39,820
12.0081.3%
+$92,793
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.
0.84
21 Aug
7d
0.77
28 Aug
14d
0.74
4 Sep
21d
0.73
11 Sep
28d
0.72
18 Sep
35d
0.72
25 Sep
42d
0.73
2 Oct
49d
0.76
16 Oct
63d
Volatility by Strike
Upside optionality premium
Out-of-the-money calls carry higher implied volatility than comparable puts, indicating richer upside optionality.
6
6
7
7
8
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 0% of the time.
Directional follow-through0%
Moves contained by pricing22%
Average expiry move17.6%
13 Aug
Volatility · 55
18.4% through expiry
26.9% priced · v2.0
12 Aug
Volatility · 46
18.4% through expiry
14.0% priced · v2.0
10 Aug
Volatility · 53
18.4% through expiry
18.0% priced · v2.0
7 Aug
Volatility · 46
18.4% through expiry
12.3% priced · v2.0
5 Aug
Volatility · 49
20.5% through expiry
15.5% priced · v2.0
4 Aug
Volatility · 54
20.5% through expiry
17.8% priced · v2.0
3 Aug
Volatility · 50
20.5% through expiry
10.2% priced · v2.0
31 Jul
Volatility · 46
20.5% through expiry
8.3% priced · v2.0
30 Jul
Bullish · 43
-2.7% through expiry
6.5% 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
High
Retained chain100%
Implied volatility100%
Two-sided quotes100%
Open interest100%
- Chain status
- Complete available chain
- Market date
- 14 Aug 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 376 / 376
- 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
Volatility expansion bet
The strongest message is movement risk: expected move and implied volatility are carrying more signal than direction.
Options are pricing movement more than direction; compare expected move with the stock's actual weekly change.
Volatility expansion bet matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $3.5M 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+65
1W price+18.4%
Call premium86%
Put premium14%
Notional split
C 86% / P 14%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.09
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
3/100
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 13732 contracts traded, $1.0M estimated gross traded notional, and 30% of visible notional.
$1.0M
Calls · 22-45 days · OTM
calls cluster with 11271 contracts traded, $391,101 estimated gross traded notional, and 11% of visible notional.
$391,101
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 1354 contracts traded, $385,994 estimated gross traded notional, and 11% of visible notional.
$385,994
Calls · 22-45 days · ITM
calls cluster with 1461 contracts traded, $291,301 estimated gross traded notional, and 8% of visible notional.
$291,301
Calls · 46-90 days · OTM
calls cluster with 5459 contracts traded, $262,918 estimated gross traded notional, and 8% of visible notional.
$262,918
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
Normal range
Activity is broadly in line with recent stored snapshots.
Baseline: 11 completed sessions
Volume rank73th
Volume/OI rank73th
IV rank18th
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close6.62
1W+18.4%
RS-20.1
Fair value-1.0%
Options pressure65
Speculation42
Volatility90
Trend fit3
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg 13.5% · 11 sessions
27th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 1.17 · 11 sessions
18th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.25 · 11 sessions
73th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
30d avg 0.11 · 11 sessions
73th
90d avg - · 11/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 11/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 10:39
Volatility
Pressure 67
Move 7.4%
30 Jul 10:35
Bullish
Pressure 58
Move 12.2%
30 Jul 19:00
Volatility
Pressure 66
Move 8.4%
30 Jul 19:47
Bullish
Pressure 60
Move 6.5%
2 Aug 12:09
Volatility
Pressure 69
Move 8.3%
4 Aug 10:31
Volatility
Pressure 74
Move 10.2%
5 Aug 11:02
Volatility
Pressure 84
Move 17.8%
6 Aug 11:10
Volatility
Pressure 72
Move 15.5%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike0.50
Calls · V 92 · OI 148
Puts · V 6 · OI 0
Strike1.00
Calls · V 8 · OI 375
Puts · V 5 · OI 0
Strike1.50
Calls · V 5 · OI 15
Puts · V 0 · OI 3
Strike2.00
Calls · V 18 · OI 14
Puts · V 6 · OI 29
Strike2.50
Calls · V 4 · OI 3
Puts · V 2 · OI 0
Strike3.00
Calls · V 7 · OI 63
Puts · V 2 · OI 578
Strike3.50
Calls · V 0 · OI 2
Puts · V 0 · OI 67
Strike4.00
Calls · V 17 · OI 320
Puts · V 12 · OI 2048
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts44
Avg IV0.84
Put-call0.44
Expiry28 Aug 2026
Contracts44
Avg IV0.77
Put-call0.82
Expiry4 Sep 2026
Contracts42
Avg IV0.74
Put-call0.26
Expiry11 Sep 2026
Contracts42
Avg IV0.73
Put-call0.09
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts24
Avg IV0.72
Put-call0.21
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Call IV premium
Call IV0.92
Put IV0.76
Skew-0.17
28 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.83
Put IV0.81
Skew-0.03
4 Sep 2026Call IV premium
Call IV0.81
Put IV0.64
Skew-0.18
11 Sep 2026Call IV premium
Call IV0.81
Put IV0.75
Skew-0.06
18 Sep 2026Call IV premium
Call IV0.82
Put IV0.73
Skew-0.10
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractACHR260821C00007000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike7.00
Volume7280
OI17298
IV0.83
ContractACHR270115C00012000
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike12.00
Volume5762
OI20308
IV0.87
ContractACHR260918C00007000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike7.00
Volume5406
OI19039
IV0.77
ContractACHR260821C00007500
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike7.50
Volume3974
OI4467
IV0.92
ContractACHR260821P00006000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike6.00
Volume3651
OI3036
IV0.76
ContractACHR261016C00008000
SideCall
Expiry16 Oct 2026
Strike8.00
Volume2866
OI9106
IV0.78
ContractACHR270115C00007000
SideCall
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Strike7.00
Volume2201
OI53683
IV0.82
ContractACHR260821P00006500
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike6.50
Volume2068
OI1725
IV0.80
Research Graph
Related research and context
Sharemaestro research
Related News
No recent ticker-specific news yet.
Market Watch
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.