Options catalyst watch
Which liquid chains showed the strongest combined evidence of an options-implied catalyst on Sep 17, 2026?
A transparent 0–100 cross-sectional score built from four equally weighted groups: volatility level, front-versus-back term premium, volume/open-interest activity, and skew/smile shape. Correlated measurements share a group so one volatility surface does not receive several votes. This flags unusual pricing, not a known event or expected direction. Data through close. Descriptive only, not a recommendation.
| # | Ticker | Close | Open interest | Catalyst score / strongest drivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WBD | 28.24 | 3,179,358 | 77.9 · front IV premium 39.3 pp; smile convexity -52.4 pp; 25Δ risk reversal 7.9 pp |
| 2 | GME | 22.77 | 1,822,316 | 72.3 · 25Δ risk reversal -18.2 pp; front IV premium 5.2 pp; IV rank 100 |
| 3 | SPX | 7,637.76 | 20,175,294 | 70.2 · front IV premium 96.2 pp; smile convexity 245.6 pp; 25Δ risk reversal 10.5 pp |
| 4 | RIG | 5.66 | 1,225,732 | 69.9 · OI change 0.98σ; front IV premium 4.7 pp; 25Δ risk reversal 6.4 pp |
| 5 | VIX | 15.44 | 10,602,005 | 68.3 · 34d expected move +24.6%; 25Δ risk reversal -131.0 pp; OI change 0.48σ |
| 6 | SPY | 762.60 | 21,116,255 | 68.1 · volume/OI 0.55; IV rank 100; 25Δ risk reversal 7.1 pp |
| 7 | SPCX | 154.81 | 4,583,649 | 67.0 · volume/OI 0.31; OI change 0.66σ; IV rank 100 |
| 8 | SNAP | 5.65 | 1,489,517 | 66.4 · 25Δ risk reversal -11.2 pp; OI change 0.52σ; 8d expected move +8.6% |
| 9 | CIFR | 16.94 | 1,744,250 | 66.1 · 8d expected move +15.3%; front IV premium 3.6 pp; OI change 0.45σ |
| 10 | BABA | 108.54 | 2,365,474 | 65.6 · front IV premium 9.2 pp; smile convexity 19.8 pp; volume/OI 0.11 |
| 11 | IWM | 285.38 | 10,824,276 | 64.2 · IV rank 100; volume/OI 0.15; smile convexity 13.3 pp |
| 12 | TLT | 81.78 | 13,237,604 | 63.9 · front IV premium 4.8 pp; smile convexity 17.1 pp; IV rank 100 |
| 13 | SPXW | 7,640.32 | 5,373,379 | 63.6 · volume/OI 0.66; OI change 0.70σ; smile convexity 8.8 pp |
| 14 | USO | 155.31 | 1,903,347 | 63.0 · front IV premium 0.2 pp; IV rank 94 |
| 15 | RKT | 12.57 | 1,306,729 | 61.0 · IV rank 100; OI change 0.46σ; 8d expected move +8.6% |
| 16 | NVO | 43.19 | 1,459,229 | 60.9 · front IV premium 5.4 pp |
| 17 | RKLB | 67.82 | 1,236,669 | 60.9 · front IV premium 3.2 pp; 8d expected move +10.8%; volume/OI 0.13 |
| 18 | CRWV | 79.88 | 2,578,824 | 60.9 · volume/OI 0.21; 8d expected move +12.0% |
| 19 | AAPL | 337.00 | 5,226,142 | 58.8 · OI change 0.64σ; smile convexity 19.3 pp; volume/OI 0.25 |
| 20 | IEF | 91.25 | 1,410,039 | 58.4 · OI change 1.91σ; IV rank 100; front IV premium 1.0 pp |
| 21 | CRWD | 245.70 | 1,399,293 | 58.1 · IV rank 100; front IV premium 1.0 pp; 8d expected move +8.6% |
| 22 | XOM | 163.27 | 1,134,080 | 57.5 · 25Δ risk reversal 124.6 pp; IV rank 100; front IV premium 0.7 pp |
| 23 | XLU | 41.69 | 1,948,873 | 57.4 · smile convexity 294.3 pp; front IV premium 6.1 pp; 25Δ risk reversal 7.1 pp |
| 24 | ORCL | 150.59 | 3,476,457 | 57.0 · volume/OI 0.13 |
| 25 | XLE | 64.47 | 4,863,035 | 56.5 · front IV premium 1.9 pp; 25Δ risk reversal 6.2 pp |
| 26 | KRE | 72.74 | 2,084,067 | 56.5 · OI change 0.63σ; front IV premium 1.1 pp; 25Δ risk reversal 5.7 pp |
| 27 | UBER | 70.87 | 1,427,825 | 56.4 · IV rank 100; smile convexity 10.0 pp |
| 28 | GRAB | 2.81 | 1,957,658 | 56.3 · 25Δ risk reversal -9.8 pp; IV rank 100 |
| 29 | BMNR | 23.89 | 1,669,913 | 55.6 · 8d expected move +11.3%; OI change 0.36σ; 25Δ risk reversal -5.3 pp |
| 30 | AVGO | 347.30 | 2,435,212 | 55.0 · IV rank 100; volume/OI 0.12; OI change 0.35σ |
| 31 | FXI | 34.19 | 3,946,663 | 54.5 · front IV premium 3.5 pp; smile convexity 15.6 pp; 25Δ risk reversal 6.4 pp |
| 32 | EFA | 106.04 | 1,338,260 | 54.4 · front IV premium 1.3 pp; OI change 0.43σ |
| 33 | HOOD | 109.81 | 1,858,738 | 53.9 · OI change 0.61σ; volume/OI 0.16; 8d expected move +9.2% |
| 34 | NOK | 10.60 | 3,839,875 | 52.8 · 25Δ risk reversal -7.2 pp; 8d expected move +9.1% |
| 35 | SOXL | 114.82 | 1,616,842 | 52.7 · volume/OI 0.20; 25Δ risk reversal 9.3 pp; OI change 0.45σ |
| 36 | MARA | 11.64 | 1,898,518 | 52.7 · 8d expected move +13.1%; front IV premium 1.1 pp |
| 37 | MRVL | 240.76 | 1,827,144 | 52.2 · front IV premium 1.5 pp; 8d expected move +9.9%; volume/OI 0.12 |
| 38 | HTZ | 1.86 | 1,342,395 | 52.1 · 25Δ risk reversal 19.8 pp; IV rank 100 |
| 39 | LQD | 105.16 | 2,641,536 | 51.6 · OI change 0.98σ; front IV premium 0.2 pp |
| 40 | BAC | 58.18 | 2,434,508 | 51.3 · IV rank 100 |
| 41 | TQQQ | 71.38 | 1,720,687 | 51.1 · volume/OI 0.20; 25Δ risk reversal 9.6 pp; smile convexity 14.3 pp |
| 42 | F | 13.61 | 1,930,623 | 51.0 · broad signal |
| 43 | RIVN | 15.40 | 2,392,848 | 51.0 · smile convexity 18.3 pp; 25Δ risk reversal -14.2 pp; 8d expected move +8.6% |
| 44 | AAL | 12.94 | 2,220,901 | 50.7 · OI change 0.52σ; IV rank 100; 25Δ risk reversal -5.2 pp |
| 45 | MSTR | 132.25 | 2,826,390 | 50.6 · 8d expected move +10.3%; volume/OI 0.13 |
| 46 | AMD | 545.09 | 3,296,643 | 50.3 · volume/OI 0.26; OI change 0.33σ |
| 47 | VZ | 48.33 | 1,147,876 | 50.0 · IV rank 100; smile convexity 16.4 pp |
| 48 | XLF | 55.88 | 6,907,922 | 50.0 · smile convexity 34.9 pp; front IV premium 5.6 pp; 25Δ risk reversal 6.1 pp |
| 49 | QQQ | 716.92 | 12,740,183 | 49.8 · volume/OI 0.55; 25Δ risk reversal 5.1 pp |
| 50 | NU | 13.84 | 1,995,455 | 49.6 · IV rank 100; smile convexity 13.2 pp; OI change 0.36σ |
Screens describe what the data shows after the close. They are not trade recommendations; see the disclaimer and the methodology.