thetrading.tools
OptionsUpdated daily after close · snapshot 2026-09-04

Unusual Options Activity — Daily Top 30 Bullish & Bearish

A free unusual options activity scanner. Each session it reads 2,867 option chains and ranks the 682 that clear the liquidity and earnings filters. Each name is scored on three chain-derivable factors: OTM open-interest growth against the symbol's own recent history, today's volume-to-OI ratio on OTM contracts, and IV against the symbol's own 30-day baseline, each then normalised across the eligible universe. Call-side and put-side books are ranked independently. Neither label proves that the options were bought or predicts the stock's next move.

The answer · unusual options2026-09-04market close
BALANCED

17 call-side and 12 put-side composites cleared the 1.5 score cutoff. Neither side outnumbered the other by 50%.

Top call signature
ZS +4.16
Primarily OTM OI growth
Top put signature
TYRA +3.16
Primarily OTM OI growth
Recent repeats
7 / 11
of 30, same-side in ≥2 of 10 sessions
Two-sided today
10 names
ZS · CECO · TYRA · DOCU · PL · LUMN · IOT · AMBA · GTLB · WPM
Eligible
682
Scanned
2,867
History
72 sessions

“Call-side” and “put-side” describe which OTM book produced the statistical outlier. End-of-day chain data cannot identify buyers versus sellers, trade initiators, institutions, or spread legs.

Today's reading

As of market close on September 4, 2026, the scanner ranked 682 of 2,867 scanned US optionable stocks. 17 call-side and 12 put-side signatures cleared the 1.5 composite-score threshold, a balanced call/put split. The highest call-side score is ZS at +4.16, driven primarily by OTM OI growth; the highest put-side score is TYRA at +3.16, driven primarily by OTM OI growth. 7 of 30 call-side names and 11 of 30 put-side names appeared in at least two of the latest 10 ranked sessions. 10 names appear on both lists today. These are unusual call/put signatures, not proof of buying direction or a price forecast.

Sources, methodology & freshnessLast updated 2026-09-04 · Open ↓
Source
Daily full-chain snapshots across ~3,200 US optionable equities (Polygon-compatible API)
Methodology
Weighted composite of 3 cross-universe z-scored factors: OTM OI growth + vol/OI ratio + IV vs 30d median
Updates
Daily snapshot ~1:30 PM PT (30 min after cash close)Last: 2026-09-04
Maintained & reviewed by Yuriy Matso — methodology shown on the page.
01

Flows in context

These ranked names have a fresh, researched news or fundamental driver. The chart marks both the catalyst and the current options signature so you can see what the underlying did around them. A catalyst can explain attention in the name; it does not identify who initiated the option contracts.

up daydown dayshare volumeUnderlying shares, not option volume
ZS#1 call-side+4.16two-sided · opposite +1.35
Earnings
OTM OI change
+$1.00B
+5.00σ
Volume / OI
0.36
+1.66σ
Relative IV / ≤30d
+5.00σ / 57%
factor / OI share
Persistence
1/10 · streak 1
same-side top-30
Spot $169.80 · catalyst 2026-09-04

Sep 4: -4.7% to $169.80 on 3.1x average volume after fiscal Q4 results reported Sep 3 after the close. Revenue was $898.2 million, up 25%, ARR $3.771 billion, up 25%, and non-GAAP EPS $1.19. Fiscal 2027 revenue guidance of $3.908 to $3.938 billion implies 16.6% to 17.5% growth, down from 25%, and the stock opened 6.8% lower at $166.15.

Zscaler sells cloud security through its Zero Trust Exchange, with revenue recognized as subscriptions. Q4 net new ARR was $246 million and non-GAAP operating income was a record 24% of revenue; GAAP net loss was $3.4 million. Q1 guidance is $935 to $939 million of revenue, about 19% growth, with non-GAAP EPS of $1.15 to $1.16; fiscal 2027 non-GAAP EPS is guided to $4.86 to $4.90. The stock is 49.5% below its Nov 3, 2025 52-week high of $336.27 and 43.8% above the Apr 10 low of $118.05. Call-side activity after a beat and a slowing guide is a bet that the deceleration is conservatism, which the Q1 print in December will test.

Zscaler fiscal Q4 2026 results, 8-K exhibit 99.1, Sep 3
up daydown dayshare volumeUnderlying shares, not option volume
LULU#2 call-side+4.11
Earnings
OTM OI change
+$713.3M
+4.58σ
Volume / OI
0.45
+2.19σ
Relative IV / ≤30d
+5.00σ / 37%
factor / OI share
Persistence
1/10 · streak 1
same-side top-30
Spot $100.61 · catalyst 2026-09-04

Sep 4: -17.4% to $100.61 on 9.4x average volume, its lowest close in a year, after Q2 results reported Sep 3 after the close. Revenue fell 4% to $2.4 billion and comparable sales fell 9%, with the Americas down 12%. Full-year revenue guidance was cut to $10.35 to $10.5 billion, a 5% to 7% decline, from a prior flat to down 1%. EPS guidance fell to $9.48 to $9.73 from $10.95 to $11.15.

Lululemon sells athletic apparel through 825 company-operated stores and online, and the Americas is the business that is shrinking. Q2 diluted EPS of $2.92 included $0.86 from tariff refunds, so the underlying figure was about $2.06. Q3 is guided to $2.29 to $2.32 billion of revenue, a 10% to 11% decline, with EPS of $0.93 to $0.98. The company is run by interim co-CEOs Meghan Frank and André Maestrini and bought back $330 million of stock in the quarter. The stock is 53.4% below its Jan 6 52-week high of $215.88. Call-side activity at a fresh low is a turnaround bet; the next dated test is a permanent CEO appointment and the holiday quarter.

lululemon second quarter fiscal 2026 results, Sep 3
up daydown dayshare volumeUnderlying shares, not option volume
SNOW#3 call-side+3.21
Earnings
OTM OI change
+$2.83B
+4.76σ
Volume / OI
0.53
+2.76σ
Relative IV / ≤30d
+1.25σ / 58%
factor / OI share
Persistence
1/10 · streak 1
same-side top-30
Spot $337.18 · catalyst 2026-09-03

Sep 3: +16.6% to $356.47 on 5.0x average volume after fiscal Q2 2027 results reported Sep 2 after the close. Product revenue was $1.49 billion, up 37%, non-GAAP EPS $0.62, and the full-year product revenue guide rose to $6.07 billion from $5.84 billion. The stock opened up 23.3% at $377.25 and closed 5.5% below the open.

Snowflake sells a cloud data platform priced on consumption, and this quarter was the acceleration bulls wanted. Net revenue retention was 126%, RPO $9.0 billion, up 30%, and 828 customers spent over $1 million, up 27%. The Q3 product revenue guide is $1,588 to $1,593 million, or 37% to 38% growth. Oppenheimer, BofA, Piper Sandler and Truist raised targets to between $425 and $475 on Sep 3. The close is 7.3% below the day's own 52-week high of $384.56 and about three times the Apr 10 low of $118.30. The put-side signature on a 23% gap is consistent with hedges or profit protection on a stock that just tripled in five months. Watch whether the intraday fade from the open continues.

Snowflake Q2 fiscal 2027 results, 8-K exhibit, Sep 2
up daydown dayshare volumeUnderlying shares, not option volume
TYRA#1 put-side+3.16two-sided · opposite +2.60
News
OTM OI change
+$2.2M
+4.44σ
Volume / OI
0.91
+3.25σ
Relative IV / ≤30d
+1.16σ / 71%
factor / OI share
Persistence
1/10 · streak 1
same-side top-30
Spot $28.65 · catalyst 2026-09-04

Sep 4: +15.2% to $28.65 on 4.2x average volume after Tyra set a date for its SURF302 readout. An 8:00 am ET release said the company will host a call on Wednesday, Sep 9 at 8:00 am ET to present initial results. SURF302 is the Phase 2 study of oral dabogratinib in intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The date is the news; no data was released.

Tyra is a clinical-stage biotech built around FGFR3-selective inhibitors, and dabogratinib is its lead program. The Aug 4 quarterly report guided the readout to safety data on more than 40 patients and efficacy on more than 20, across the 50 mg and 60 mg daily doses. Cash was $353.9 million at Jun 30, with runway into the second half of 2028. The stock is 27.7% below its Apr 2 52-week high of $39.61 and 142% above the Sep 9, 2025 low of $11.82. The put-side signature two sessions before a binary readout reads as protection on a stock that just rallied into it, not a call on the data.

Tyra Biosciences to host conference call on initial SURF302 results on September 9, 2026, Sep 4
up daydown dayshare volumeUnderlying shares, not option volume
PATH#4 call-side+3.05
Earnings
OTM OI change
+$182.2M
+3.04σ
Volume / OI
0.22
+0.73σ
Relative IV / ≤30d
+5.00σ / 30%
factor / OI share
Persistence
1/10 · streak 1
same-side top-30
Spot $15.19 · catalyst 2026-09-04

Sep 4: -16.6% to $15.19 on 104.4 million shares, 1.6x average volume, after fiscal Q2 results reported Sep 3 after the close. Revenue was $410 million, up 13%, ARR $1.938 billion, up 12%, and non-GAAP EPS $0.15. Full-year guidance of $1.789 to $1.794 billion of revenue and $2.065 to $2.070 billion of ARR did not change the growth story.

UiPath sells automation software and is repositioning around AI agents layered on its robotic process automation base. Q2 net new ARR was $37 million, dollar-based net retention 109%, non-GAAP operating income $89 million and free cash flow $31 million; it bought back $268.5 million of stock in the first half. Q3 is guided to $440 to $445 million of revenue and about $100 million of non-GAAP operating income. The stock is 21.3% below its Dec 8, 2025 52-week high of $19.29 and 61.9% above the Apr 10 low of $9.38. Call-side activity after a 16.6% drop on a beat is positioning for a rebound on a name whose growth remains low double digits; watch whether net retention holds above 109%.

UiPath second quarter fiscal 2027 results, Sep 3
up daydown dayshare volumeUnderlying shares, not option volume
DOCU#2 put-side+2.86two-sided · opposite +1.93
Earnings
OTM OI change
+$101.9M
+5.00σ
Volume / OI
0.15
+0.09σ
Relative IV / ≤30d
+1.97σ / 48%
factor / OI share
Persistence
1/10 · streak 1
same-side top-30
Spot $68.41 · catalyst 2026-09-04

Sep 4: +3.7% to $68.41 on 2.6x average volume after fiscal Q2 results reported Sep 3 after the close, with an intraday range of $64.16 to $70.40. Revenue was $875.7 million, up 9%, non-GAAP EPS $1.16 against $0.92 a year earlier, and full-year revenue guidance rose to $3.499 to $3.507 billion.

Docusign sells e-signature and is migrating customers to its Intelligent Agreement Management platform. IAM reached 15.1% of ARR at Jul 31 from 12.6% a quarter earlier and is guided to 18% to 19% by year-end. Non-GAAP operating margin was 31.6%, free cash flow $295.8 million, and the company repurchased $306.5 million of stock in the quarter. Q3 revenue is guided to $886 to $890 million and the full-year non-GAAP operating margin to 31.0% to 31.5%. The stock is 19.5% below its Sep 18, 2025 52-week high of $85.01 and 63.9% above the Feb 23 low of $41.75. A put-side signature after a beat-and-raise on a 9% grower reads as hedging the multiple, not the quarter.

Docusign second quarter fiscal 2027 results, Sep 3
02

Signal context

Two-sided today · 10 names on both lists

Unusual call and put books at once. Two-sided unusualness says nothing about direction.
ZSZscaler, Inc.
Call-side #1
+4.16
led by OTM OI growth
Put-side #15
+1.35
led by OTM OI growth

Auto-matched, not verified · Zscaler: Another Strong Quarter Powered By Organic Growth, Bullish Chart · SeekingAlpha · 2026-09-04

CECOCECO ENVIRONMENTAL CORP
Call-side #5
+2.99
led by OTM OI growth
Put-side #4
+2.53
led by OTM OI growth
TYRATyra Biosciences, Inc.
Call-side #7
+2.60
led by volume/OI
Put-side #1
+3.16
led by OTM OI growth

Auto-matched, not verified · Tyra Biosciences To Discuss Initial Clinical Results From SURF302 Phase 2 Study Evaluating Oral Dabogratinib For IR NMIBC In Conference Call And Webcast On September 9 · Benzinga · 2026-09-04

DOCUDOCUSIGN, INC.
Call-side #12
+1.93
led by relative IV
Put-side #2
+2.86
led by OTM OI growth

Auto-matched, not verified · Docusign, Inc. (DOCU) Q2 2027 Earnings Call Transcript · SeekingAlpha · 2026-09-03

PLPlanet Labs PBC
Call-side #13
+1.87
led by OTM OI growth
Put-side #3
+2.74
led by relative IV

Auto-matched, not verified · Planet Labs PBC 2027 Q2 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation · SeekingAlpha · 2026-09-04

LUMNLumen Technologies, Inc.
Call-side #15
+1.74
led by OTM OI growth
Put-side #26
+0.98
led by OTM OI growth
IOTSamsara Inc.
Call-side #21
+1.34
led by relative IV
Put-side #9
+1.74
led by OTM OI growth
AMBAAMBARELLA INC
Call-side #22
+1.29
led by OTM OI growth
Put-side #10
+1.66
led by volume/OI
GTLBGitlab Inc.
Call-side #25
+1.23
led by relative IV
Put-side #8
+1.76
led by relative IV
WPMWheaton Precious Metals Corp.
Call-side #30
+1.05
led by OTM OI growth
Put-side #25
+1.02
led by OTM OI growth

What is driving today's scores?

Farther right means a larger OTM OI change; higher means more volume relative to the standing OI book. Point size is the composite score. A violet outline marks IV at least 1.5σ above the eligible universe.

call-side listput-side listAxes are symlog-scaled so outliers do not flatten the field.

Which signatures keep returning?

Current top-30 names ranked by same-side appearances across the latest 10 sessions. Repetition distinguishes recurring activity from a one-session print; it does not establish directional accuracy.

7/30 call-side repeats11/30 put-side repeats10 names on both lists today2026-08-242026-09-04
03

What happened next

Over 72 ranked sessions since 2026-05-23, names on the call-side top 30 lagged the scanned universe 20 sessions later (median -0.62% against +1.34%, 47% higher against 56%), and put-side names matched it (median +0.47%). Neither list has behaved like a directional forecast. That is the finding, and it is published rather than assumed away.

Bucket5 sessions10 sessions20 sessionsN
Call-side top 10-0.14% · 49%↑-0.19% · 48%↑-0.50% · 48%↑662
Call-side top 30-0.13% · 49%↑-0.33% · 48%↑-0.62% · 47%↑1,991
Call-side top 30, ex-ETF (partly reconstructed)-0.20% · 48%↑-0.34% · 48%↑-0.94% · 46%↑1,793
Put-side top 10-0.04% · 49%↑+0.39% · 53%↑+0.41% · 54%↑651
Put-side top 30+0.00% · 50%↑+0.29% · 52%↑+0.47% · 53%↑1,981
Put-side top 30, ex-ETF (partly reconstructed)+0.03% · 50%↑+0.45% · 53%↑+0.61% · 54%↑1,758
All scanned names (baseline)+0.10% · 51%↑+0.39% · 53%↑+1.34% · 56%↑205,719
SPY (baseline)+0.11% · 51%↑-0.34% · 45%↑+1.19% · 67%↑67

Median return of the underlying from the snapshot-date close and the share of observations that ended higher, beside the same statistics over every scanned name (baseline) and SPY. 52 sessions have a complete 20 sessions window. Descriptive tendencies, not signals.

  • Windows overlap: consecutive sessions share most of their forward path, so n overstates independent observations.
  • Single regime: 72 sessions from 2026-05-23; no bear-market coverage.
  • Entry is the snapshot-date close; the scan is published after that close, so the first session's return was not tradable.
  • Version 1 ex-ETF rows are reconstructed from today's ETF list.
  • 1 session(s) dated on a non-trading day are entered at the last close on or before that date.
04

Call-side rankings

OTM call books ranked by the composite. “Bullish” is the scanner's conventional label for a call-side signature; it does not establish call buying. Open a row for the raw factors and recent-list persistence.

Top 30 — OTM Call-Side Signatures30 ranked
Index & ETF books in this top 30#10 SCHD· ranked like any other book, labelled so a fund is not read as a company
#SymbolScorez OI Δz Vol/OI
1ZS
Zscaler, Inc.
+4.16+5.00σ+1.66σ
2LULU
lululemon athletica inc.
+4.11+4.58σ+2.19σ
3SNOW
Snowflake Inc.
+3.21+4.76σ+2.76σ
4PATH
UiPath, Inc.
+3.05+3.04σ+0.73σ
5CECO
CECO ENVIRONMENTAL CORP
+2.99+5.00σ+3.70σ
6GWRE
Guidewire Software, Inc.
+2.67+5.00σ+1.32σ
7TYRA
Tyra Biosciences, Inc.
+2.60+1.69σ+5.00σ
8AI
C3.ai, Inc.
+2.42+1.61σ+4.54σ
9MCY
MERCURY GENERAL CORP
+2.30+4.85σ+2.27σ
10SCHDETF+2.25+5.00σ-0.25σ
05

Put-side rankings

OTM put books ranked independently on the same factors. Put activity can be directional, protective, short-volatility, or part of a multi-leg structure; the table measures unusualness, not trade intent.

Top 30 — OTM Put-Side Signatures30 ranked
Index & ETF books in this top 30#5 EWT#18 XLI· ranked like any other book, labelled so a fund is not read as a company
#SymbolScorez OI Δz Vol/OI
1TYRA
Tyra Biosciences, Inc.
+3.16+4.44σ+3.25σ
2DOCU
DOCUSIGN, INC.
+2.86+5.00σ+0.09σ
3PL
Planet Labs PBC
+2.74+2.41σ+0.64σ
4CECO
CECO ENVIRONMENTAL CORP
+2.53+5.00σ+2.45σ
5EWTETF+1.92+4.42σ-0.26σ
6APH
AMPHENOL CORP /DE/
+1.89+5.00σ-0.44σ
7HIVE
HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd.
+1.79+3.93σ-0.32σ
8GTLB
Gitlab Inc.
+1.76+0.77σ-0.32σ
9IOT
Samsara Inc.
+1.74+2.78σ+0.04σ
10AMBA
AMBARELLA INC
+1.66+1.43σ+2.88σ
06

Score and coverage notes

Reading the score

  • +2.5 or higher — a very large weighted composite for this session. Inspect the factor map: one extreme input can produce the score.
  • +1.5 to +2.5 — the page's “strong” threshold. It is a transparent cutoff, not a probability or expected return.
  • +0.5 to +1.5 — above the composite center but less exceptional; rank can still place it in the top 30 on a quieter side.
  • −0.5 to +0.5 — near the composite center for the session.
  • The three inputs are cross-sectional z-scores. Their weighted composite is not re-standardized, so the composite itself is shown without σ.
  • Persistence shows that activity kept ranking, not that its direction was correct. What the ranked names did afterwards is measured against the scanned universe in the “What happened next” section above.
  • Since 2026-09-03 the open-interest factor measures each name's change against its own recent sessions before the cross-universe comparison, so the largest option books no longer lead by size alone. Fund and ETF books stay in the rankings and carry an ETF tag.

How Unusual Options Activity Works

  1. 1
    Pull the full options chain for the universe
    Each trading day after the cash close (~1:30 PM PT), we snapshot the full options chain for every name in the universe via a Polygon-compatible market-data API — roughly 3,200 US optionable equities sourced from the easy-to-borrow list. The full chain (every strike × every expiration with OI, volume, IV, and Greeks) lands on disk for the scoring pipeline.
  2. 2
    Aggregate OTM positioning per symbol
    For each name we compute the $-notional of open interest in calls more than 3% OTM (above spot) and puts more than 3% OTM (below spot). Keeping a fixed distance from spot makes the cross-universe comparison consistent and separates the two option sides. We compare today's OTM $-notional with the prior snapshot; that measures a changing standing book, not whether the long or short side initiated it.
  3. 3
    Compute the three scoring factors
    Factor 1 is the day-over-day dollar change in OTM OI. Factor 2 is today's OTM volume divided by OTM open interest, which compares session activity with the standing book. Factor 3 compares average OTM IV with the symbol's own accumulating 30-session baseline, then normalizes that reading across eligible names. These inputs identify unusualness; snapshots cannot prove buying versus writing or reconstruct spreads.
  4. 4
    Filter out the noise
    Names with options volume below 5,000 contracts/day are excluded to reduce unstable ratios in thin books. Names with earnings releases in the next 7 days are separated because scheduled-event positioning would otherwise dominate the ranking. Both exclusions get a reason code visible in the UI.
  5. 5
    Z-score normalize across the universe
    For each factor we compute the mean and standard deviation across eligible names that day, then express every symbol relative to that cross-section. A 2.4σ OI-growth reading means 2.4 standard deviations above that session's eligible-universe mean; because the distributions can be skewed and heavy-tailed, the page does not translate z-scores into assumed normal-distribution percentiles.
  6. 6
    Composite weighted score, with graceful fallbacks
    Call-side Score = 0.45·z(call OTM OI growth) + 0.25·z(call vol/OI) + 0.30·z(call relative IV). The put-side score mirrors it. When IV history is insufficient (<20 sessions), weights rescale across OI growth and volume/OI; when OI growth is also unavailable, volume/OI stands alone. The UI states which model is active.
  7. 7
    Rank and surface the top 30
    The top 30 call-side and top 30 put-side composites are surfaced independently each day. Expand any row for raw inputs, factor z-scores, short-dated OI share and recent same-side persistence. The D3 factor map shows which input drove the outliers; the persistence chart uses the accumulating daily top-30 archive.

Who Uses Unusual Options Activity

Active Swing Traders
Use the rankings as an idea list, then check the underlying chart, catalyst and individual factor mix. A watchlist name with a recurring signature deserves research; this page does not treat recurrence as validated directional confirmation.
Options Traders
Use the IV factor to find names whose OTM volatility is unusual relative to both their own baseline and today's eligible cross-section. Strategy choice still requires the volatility surface, event calendar, spreads and trade prices that this end-of-day summary does not provide.
Macro / Cross-Asset Traders
Compare the count of strong call-side and put-side signatures as a breadth description. A large imbalance says where unusual contracts clustered that session; it cannot identify net market direction because buyers, sellers, hedges and multi-leg trades are not observed.
Long-Term Investors
Watch for unusual put-side activity on holdings and call-side activity on watchlist names as prompts for a news, earnings and risk review. Neither side is attributed to “smart money,” and both can represent hedges or spreads.

Pro Tips

01
Don't trade single-day spikes blindly
One day of high volume/OI can be dominated by a block or short-lived event. Use the persistence chart to distinguish repeat appearances from a one-session print, while remembering that recurrence has not been presented as a tested return signal.
02
Inspect the factor mix behind the composite
A high score can come from extreme OI growth, volume/OI, relative IV, or a combination. The factor map uses symlog axes so a single outlier remains visible without flattening every other name. IV can rise for event risk and supply/demand changes; it does not reveal trade direction by itself.
03
Cross-check the excluded list
A name excluded for earnings can still have active options, but the main ranking deliberately removes scheduled-event books. The excluded panel shows examples and counts; this page does not calculate the earnings implied move for them.
04
Use the underlying chart as context, not confirmation
The featured cards place price and share volume beside the option signature and verified catalyst. Co-movement helps explain what the market was reacting to, but it still cannot identify the holder or intent of the option position.
05
Score magnitude matters
The page marks 1.5 as its transparent composite-score cutoff, while the top 30 can extend below it. Read rank, magnitude and factor composition together. The inputs are cross-sectional z-scores, but their weighted composite is not re-standardized and is not a probability or forecast.
06
The scanner is best used as a starting filter
Treat the top 30 as a daily idea-generation list. It is not a list to buy outright. Cross-reference with chart structure, sector context, and your existing thesis. The UOA signal answers "where is positioning unusual?" — you still need to answer "and does that fit my strategy?"

Common Issues & Solutions

A name I expected to see isn't on the list
Three reasons something might not appear: (1) options volume below 5,000 contracts/day → excluded as illiquid. (2) Earnings inside 7 days → excluded since the positioning is event-driven. (3) Score below the top 30 cutoff. The UI shows the full ranked list with scores, and the "excluded" panel surfaces names that hit a filter with their reason code.
Day 1 scores look weaker than expected
On launch day the scanner has no prior snapshot, so OI change and the relative-IV factor are unavailable. The composite falls back to volume/OI. The information set expands after a prior snapshot exists and again once at least 20 IV observations have accumulated; the coverage card states the available model.
A high-score name turned out to be a single block trade
The score is computed from an end-of-day chain, but one large block can move the volume/OI factor significantly. The 5,000-contract liquidity floor reduces thin-book instability without eliminating concentration risk. Use the factor and persistence charts to see whether the reading is isolated; neither chart proves future direction.
Why no "smart money" claim?
The source does not provide participant identity, opening/closing flags, trade initiator, bid/ask execution context, or spread linkage. The scanner therefore describes unusual OTM call-side and put-side books and makes no “smart money” or directional-accumulation claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is unusual options activity?
Unusual options activity is an options-book pattern that differs from a stated baseline. This scanner combines day-over-day OTM open-interest change, session volume relative to OI, and relative IV, then normalizes each factor across eligible names. It identifies statistical outliers, not participant identity or trade intent.
How do you decide bullish vs bearish?
The conventional “bullish” label means the OTM call-side composite ranked highly; “bearish” means the OTM put side ranked highly. Both sides use OI growth, volume/OI and relative IV. A name can appear on both lists, which establishes two-sided unusualness but does not by itself prove a binary event or a volatility strategy.
Do you use real-time data?
No. We snapshot once daily after the cash close so the chain reflects end-of-day OI and volume. The scanner is built for daily / swing positioning analysis, not intraday signals. Intraday UOA would require a paid options tape feed.
Can you distinguish call BUYING from call WRITING?
No. A daily chain snapshot lacks bid/ask execution context, initiator side, opening/closing flags, participant identity and spread linkage. OI and IV changing together can be consistent with several mechanisms, but cannot resolve buying versus writing. The composite measures unusualness without claiming that distinction.
What's the universe?
Roughly 3,200 US optionable equities sourced from the pipeline's easy-to-borrow universe. The live coverage cards state how many chains were fetched and how many cleared the current 5,000-contract and earnings filters; excluded counts and samples are shown rather than relying on a fixed typical-day estimate.
Why exclude names with earnings within 7 days?
Scheduled earnings can sharply reshape OI, volume and IV for reasons specific to the event. Separating those names keeps the general ranking from being crowded by known earnings repricing. Once the window passes, the name can re-enter if it clears the other filters.
When does the full three-factor model activate?
The first snapshot can use volume/OI alone. OI change becomes available after a prior snapshot exists. Relative-IV scoring requires at least 20 accumulated observations for a symbol, after which the three-factor weights activate where inputs are available. The coverage card states the current mode; no mode is described as a directional guarantee.
Is the scanner free?
Yes. The live rankings, factor detail, persistence history, researched catalysts and the forward-return study are all public, with no account and no paywall. The calculation and its limits are documented on this page so the model can be evaluated before it is used.

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Last updated: 2026-09-04