QQQ max pain, gamma exposure (GEX) & options open interest
Invesco QQQ
As of close · updated after each US trading day's close · rank #5 by open interest · 1,424 sessions of history since Dec 1, 2020
QQQ max pain · nearest expiration
686.00 for
0.9% above the 679.89 close
All-expiration max pain 698.00
Net GEX -570.70M (negative 25 sessions) GEX flip 698.17 (2.7% above) Put/call OI 1.11
Over the last 60 sessions to Nov 13, 2026, QQQ closed between 647.05 and 759.66; nearest-expiration max pain ranged from 663.00 to 756.00. Latest max pain 686.00 for the Mon, Nov 16, 2026 expiration. 19 of 60 expirations in view closed nearer the prior-session max pain than the prior close.
- Close
- Max pain (nearest expiration)
- All-expiration max pain
- Expiry close nearer max pain
- nearer prior close
Markers sit on expiration sessions and compare that close with the prior session's max pain and close. Bars show net GEX, calls positive and puts negative. Descriptive history, not a forecast.
Over the past 252 sessions, QQQ's expiration-day close was nearer the prior session's max pain than the prior close on 72 of 251 expirations (29%). Expiration record
QQQ's nearest-expiration max pain is 686.00 for the Mon, Nov 16, 2026 expiration, 0.9% above the 679.89 close; all-expiration max pain is 698.00; the GEX flip is 698.17; net GEX is -570.70M (modeled dollar-delta change per $1 move); the put/call open-interest ratio is 1.11. These are whole-chain derived aggregates as of Nov 13, 2026 close.
QQQ max pain and GEX snapshot
End-of-day snapshot for . Nearest-expiration max pain uses the expiry shown on its card; GEX uses the whole chain. Missing values are unavailable, not zero.
Prices are in US dollars per share. Net GEX is modeled dollar-delta change per $1 underlying move. Max pain minimizes aggregate intrinsic payout for that expiration; it is not a closing-price forecast. Signed GEX uses calls positive and puts negative, a model convention rather than observed dealer inventory. The flip is a confirmed zero crossing; walls locate side-specific concentrations, not guaranteed support or resistance.
Learn how to read the max pain payout example, GEX chart, gamma flip and walls, and open interest versus trading volume.
Does QQQ close at max pain? Expiration record
Over the past 252 sessions, QQQ's expiration-day close was nearer the prior session's max pain than the prior close on 72 of 251 expirations (29%). The median distance from the expiration close was 1.42% for max pain and 0.80% for an unchanged prior close; 85 of 251 closes finished within 1% of max pain.
| Expiration | Max pain (session before) | Prior close | Expiration close | Close vs max pain | Nearer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 685.00 | 688.17 | 679.89 | -0.74% | Max pain | |
| 674.00 | 690.38 | 688.17 | +2.05% | Prior close | |
| 675.00 | 674.76 | 690.38 | +2.28% | Max pain | |
| 667.00 | 679.35 | 674.76 | +1.14% | Prior close | |
| 663.00 | 656.10 | 679.35 | +2.49% | Max pain | |
| 710.00 | 647.05 | 656.10 | -8.33% | Prior close | |
| 693.00 | 691.95 | 647.05 | -6.64% | Prior close | |
| 695.00 | 685.28 | 691.95 | -0.45% | Max pain | |
| 697.00 | 681.09 | 685.28 | -1.72% | Prior close | |
| 715.00 | 690.79 | 681.09 | -4.91% | Prior close |
Each expiration compares the last session before it, when it was the nearest expiration, with the close of the expiration session. Distances are percentages of that prior close. Underlying closes are not official option settlement values. The archive was reconstructed in September 2026, so it does not show what was published at the time. This is descriptive history, not a forecast. The site-wide 2025 max-pain study uses the same comparison on Thursday snapshots.
Advanced options analysis
Public aggregate analysis from the dated chain, normalized where possible for comparison across tickers. Catalyst intensity measures unusual pricing and activity; it does not identify an event, predict direction, or establish that an investment is attractive.
Strongest relative signals: volume/OI 0.57 · 25Δ risk reversal 16.8 pp · smile convexity -10.0 pp
QQQ closed 12.2% below its gamma max of 763.09. It is 2.7% below the delta neutral price of 698.35. Total open interest is 13,697,781, -4.0% versus the previous session. Its options catalyst-intensity score is 55.7 out of 100, led by volume/OI 0.57, 25Δ risk reversal 16.8 pp, smile convexity -10.0 pp. What gamma max means · What delta neutral means
Call versus put open interest changes
Growth compares outstanding contracts on each side. A positive growth gap favors calls; a negative gap favors puts. Standardized surprises compare each measure with its own prior history. These describe the OI balance, not IV skew or buying direction.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Call OI change, 1 session | -247,072 contracts · -3.7% |
| Put OI change, 1 session | -325,550 contracts · -4.3% |
| Call minus put OI growth, 1 session | +0.6 pp |
| Call OI change, 5 sessions | +219,886 contracts · +3.5% |
| Put OI change, 5 sessions | +240,100 contracts · +3.4% |
| Call minus put OI growth, 5 sessions | +0.1 pp |
| Daily call OI change surprise | -1.26σ (252 prior changes) |
| Daily put OI change surprise | -1.03σ (252 prior changes) |
| Daily call-minus-put growth surprise | +0.25σ (252 prior changes) |
History
Hover for valuesDrag to panScroll to zoomClick a series to hide it ← → step a session+ − zoomTouch: swipe to pan, pinch to zoom, hold for the crosshair
Analysis visualizations
Daily ticker aggregates through 2026-11-13. This analysis view omits individual contract fields.
To see all-expiration max pain over time, open the History chart and select “All-expiration max pain” under More series.
No matching visualizations.
Aggregate IV history
Chart loads when this section is in view.
Swipe chart sideways to see the full range.
Last 252 sessions
| Sessions closed above gamma max | 0% |
| Gamma max crosses | 0 |
| Delta neutral crosses | 28 |
| Prior-year sessions closer to gamma max | 96.8% of 252 |
| Prior-year sessions closer to delta neutral | 67.1% of 252 |
| Open interest percentile (1y) | 99th |
| Daily open interest change versus prior year | -1.14σ (-572,622 contracts; 252 prior changes) |
| Open interest change, 5 sessions | +3.5% |
| Open interest change, 21 sessions | +4.2% |
| History available | Dec 1, 2020 → Nov 13, 2026 |
Recent crosses
- closed below delta neutral at 715.34 vs 728.61 (-1.9%)
- closed above delta neutral at 725.61 vs 720.34 (+0.7%)
- closed below delta neutral at 728.95 vs 733.62 (-0.6%)
- closed above delta neutral at 716.92 vs 707.92 (+1.3%)
- closed below delta neutral at 704.54 vs 707.36 (-0.4%)
- closed above delta neutral at 714.88 vs 708.14 (+0.9%)
- closed below delta neutral at 708.69 vs 708.86 (-0.0%)
- closed above delta neutral at 700.07 vs 688.73 (+1.6%)
- closed below delta neutral at 691.96 vs 700.93 (-1.3%)
- closed above delta neutral at 708.97 vs 704.20 (+0.7%)
In today's screens
Neighbours by open interest
Cite or embed this snapshot
Cite this canonical page, embed the live levels widget or share the dated 1600×840 image. All of them carry public derived aggregates, not contract-level quotes. Credited citations and unmodified embeds need no permission; see the terms.
Canonical source: https://halfonadouble.com/stock/QQQ
Questions people ask about QQQ
What is QQQ's max pain for the nearest expiration?
As of Nov 13, 2026 close, nearest-expiration max pain is 686.00 for the Mon, Nov 16, 2026 expiration. It is a payout-minimizing strike for one expiration. An all-expiration pooled value is a different comparison, and neither establishes where the underlying will close. Max pain definition and worked payout example.
Our 2025 max-pain study compares historical Thursday levels with Friday underlying closes and an unchanged-price baseline. Its scope and results are separate from this current ticker snapshot.
Is QQQ max pain a reliable closing-price forecast?
Over the past 252 sessions, QQQ's expiration-day close was nearer the prior session's max pain than the prior close on 72 of 251 expirations (29%). The median distance from the expiration close was 1.42% for max pain and 0.80% for an unchanged prior close. Past expirations do not predict the next one. See the expiration record.
What do QQQ's gamma exposure and gamma flip show?
Signed net GEX is -570,704,073 as of Nov 13, 2026 close. The confirmed GEX flip is 698.17. Net GEX has been negative for the last 25 sessions and negative on 150 of the past 252. These aggregate model outputs use calls positive and puts negative. Their sign does not identify dealers' actual positions or predict the next move. How to interpret GEX, gamma flip and walls.
Where is QQQ's gamma max today?
As of Nov 13, 2026, the gamma max for QQQ is 763.09, +12.2% from the 679.89 close. Gamma max is the underlying price at which the summed gamma of every open contract is largest; how it is computed and why it matters.
Is QQQ above or below its delta neutral price?
QQQ closed below delta neutral: 679.89 against a delta neutral price of 698.35. The delta neutral price is where the summed delta of the whole chain is zero; the definition.
How much open interest does QQQ have?
13,697,781 contracts of open interest across 7,673 listed contracts on Nov 13, 2026, -4.0% versus the previous session. What open interest measures.
Levels are recomputed after every trading day from licensed end-of-day options data; only derived aggregates are published. Methodology · Data and licence · Not investment advice.