thetaOwl

EEM

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETFClose $70.80EOD only
Max Pain
$66.00
Next expiry Jun 5, 2026
Expected Move
±$1.83
2.6% from close
Price Gap
-4.80
Distance to max pain
IV Rank
98
High premium
P/C OI
1.82
Slightly put-heavy
Consensus
5.0/10
Range bias
Published snapshot: Jun 2, 2026 close
End-of-day snapshot

This page reflects EEM options positioning from the latest published market-close snapshot. Intraday price and contract changes are not displayed.

Published Snapshot
Jun 2, 2026 close
EEM Flow Report
Analysis based on market close April 15, 2026

Historical consensus-supported lens with full content, report chain context, and metric rail.

You are viewing an older report from April 15, 2026. A newer flow report is available for May 26, 2026.

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Flow Verdict

BiasBearish
Confirmation: Put volume and premium persist into the next session (put/call volume stays >2.0) while spot drifts toward the near-term max pain ($58.50-$60.00) and dealers keep positive GEX concentrated at $63-$64.
Invalidation: A sustained flip to call-dominant net premium (>+$1M) and a collapse in put volume (P/C volume ratio <1.0) with price reclaiming and holding >$64.00 would invalidate the bearish read.
Confidence:
4.5 / 10
base 5; -1 GEX/flow contradict; +1 GEX positive (pinning); -1 spot 6.3% from MP; +0.5 VIX 18

Watch next session: Follow-through in put volume at the 2d/9d expiries (especially activity around $58-$61 strikes); Whether spot trades below the 2d EM lower bound $61.10 a move below would accelerate dealer pinning toward $58.50 max pain

Flow Summary

Net premium: -$2.3M bearish

P/C volume ratio: 2.75

P/C OI ratio: 1.38

Flow is clearly put-leaning with net premium -$2.3M and a high put/call volume ratio of 2.75, signalling active downside insurance and directional put accumulation into June/July. However, notable front-month and mid-dated call activity (including a 5,074-lot lift in the $62.50 May 15 call and call OI concentration at $63-$65) provides short-term support and explains why dealerspositive GEX (+$661.1M) is pinning price inside the $61
64 band rather than letting a sharp selloff occur.

Notable Prints

#1
EEM260618P00061000
Vol: 20,013
OI: 3,238
Vol/OI: 6.2x
IV: 25.5%
Notional: ~$4.0M
Intent: Large directional put buying / institutional hedge into summer (protective or outright bearish)
Dual read: Could be protective hedging for portfolios or a directional multi-week bearish stance; size favors institutional insurance rather than retail speculation.

Read-through: Significant notional concentrated at $61 into June strengthens multi-week bearish tilt and suggests institutions are materially increasing downside protection.

#2
EEM260918C00069000
Vol: 10,031
OI: 431
Vol/OI: 23.3x
IV: 25.7%
Notional: ~$1.6M
Intent: Long-dated call accumulation (directional upside optionality)
Dual read: Likely opening long calls for upside exposure into Sep; could be paired with long puts as collars but appears to be standalone optionality.

Read-through: Meaningful notional at $69 (Sep) provides selective bullish optionality, partially offsetting short-to-mid-term put pressure.

#3
EEM260717P00052000
Vol: 8,180
OI: 258
Vol/OI: 31.7x
IV: 35.4%
Notional: ~$458K
Intent: Deep downside protection / speculative long puts into July
Dual read: Large opening prints indicate institutional hedging or speculative bearish bets; elevated IV suggests compensation for tail risk.

Read-through: Accumulation at $52 (Jul) shows firms securing deeper insurance beyond front-month protection.

#4
EEM260717P00056000
Vol: 3,890
OI: 104
Vol/OI: 37.4x
IV: 28.9%
Notional: ~$389K
Intent: Mid-tail put buying (hedge/speculation)
Dual read: High vol vs low OI implies many opening trades; likely portfolio protection or directional put buying into July.

Read-through: Reinforces long-dated downside protection trend centered on Jul expiries.

#5
EEM260515C00062500
Vol: 5,074
OI: 1,109
Vol/OI: 4.6x
IV: 26.3%
Notional: ~$884K
Intent: Front-mid call buying (short-term upside/rebalancing)
Dual read: Could be directional call accumulation for near-term upside (May 15) or part of collars against other put protection; volume vs OI suggests many were openings adding short-term upside exposure.

Read-through: Notable call demand at $62.50 supports the short-term pin near $62-$63 and explains why dealer GEX is damping downside despite heavy put accumulation.

#6
EEM260717P00058000
Vol: 2,151
OI: 910
Vol/OI: 2.4x
IV: 26.6%
Notional: ~$273K
Intent: Rolling/augmenting protective puts at a nearer strike in July
Dual read: Size and OI imply follow-on hedge activity (adds to existing protective layers) rather than isolated speculative bets.

Read-through: Adds to the defensive stack around $58-$61 and tightens the put floor into July.

#7
EEM260618P00069000
Vol: 590
OI: 151
Vol/OI: 3.9x
IV: 32.3%
Notional: ~$5.95M
Intent: ITM put flow consistent with exercised/assigned hedges or concentrated protection on large underlying exposure
Dual read: ITM nature ($69 put when spot $62.20) and high last price ($10.10) suggests either institutional put owners defending large positions (deep insurance) or option-driven rebalancing/exercise activity rather than fresh directional bearish speculation.

Read-through: Presence of ITM $69 puts points to material downside protection on large notional exposures (long-only mandates or structured products) and increases conviction that institutions are pre-emptively insulating portfolios across horizons.

Institutional Positioning

Call additions: Front-mid support from $62.50 (May 15) and long-dated selective optionality at $69 (Sep 18) plus concentrated OI at $63-$65 calls

Put additions: Material put accumulation at $61 (Jun 18), $58 (Jul 17), $56 (Jul 17), $52 (Jul 17) and long-standing put OI at $50/$55/$57

GEX/DEX consistency: Yes Dealers hold +$661.1M GEX concentrated at $63/$64/$62 which pins spot inside the $61 64 band despite significant put demand; front-end call buys (e.g., $62.50) act as short-term support that reinforces the pin.

OI clusters: Largest call OI clusters remain $65 (158,425), $64 (121,624), $63 (99,261) creating a call wall above; puts concentrated at $50 (88,627), $55 (69,416), $57 (64,230) creating a structural floor

Hedging evidence: Clear and layered hedging: front- and mid-dated protective buys (Jun/Jul) plus deep ITM $69 puts in Jun suggest institutions are employing a mix of short-term collars and longer-dated insurance. The ITM $69 puts imply large underlying exposures being actively protected (exercise/assignment or deep-OTM risk management) rather than small speculative bets.

Max pain context: Max pain levels are lower than spot (near-term MPs $58.50→$60.00) and OI + GEX concentrations are consistent with dealer pinning efforts to keep price near $62–$63 while puts are bought as protection — MP rising trend suggests dealers expect consolidation around the $58–$62 band over coming expiries.

Signal vs Noise

~Long-dated large-OI call clusters (e.g., $65/$64/$63) are structural and not immediate directional prints — they create resistance/walls rather than indicate fresh bullish flow.
~Very deep OTM puts (e.g., $45, $49) with small volume spikes are likely tail hedges or low-cost speculations and not front-line directional signals.
~Some July put activity shows elevated IV; part of that could be portfolio hedging rolled from nearer expiries — treat July prints as insurance until we see front-cycle lift.
~Dealer gamma positioning (positive GEX) can cause pinning behavior independent of directional intent; price gravitating to $62–$63 may reflect dealer hedging rather than organic bullish demand.

Key Conclusions

🐻Net flow is bearish: put-heavy premium (-$2.3M) and high put/call volume (2.75) indicate downside insurance and selective directional betting into June–July.
📌Pin risk: large positive GEX concentrated at $63.00/$64.00 keeps price in the $61–$63 band even as puts are bought — expect compression rather than runaway moves unless GEX is neutralized by big call buying.
🔎Watch front-end flow: sustained put demand into the 2d/9d expiries (especially strikes $58–$61) will confirm thesis; contrast that with any persistent call premium above $63.58 which would negate current bearish bias.
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This flow reflects the market close on April 15, 2026.
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