This page reflects EFX options positioning from the latest published market-close snapshot. Intraday price and contract changes are not displayed.
Published Snapshot
Aug 18, 2026 close
Max Pain — EFX
Data as of market close Aug 18, 2026
Nearest listed expiration 2026-08-21 shows max pain at $175.00 (6.84 below spot). Use this page to evaluate pin-risk zones, strike pressure, and open-interest concentration before selecting trade structure.
Max Pain Strike
$175.00
Nearest expiry
Expected Move
±$6.60
±3.6%
Days to Expiry
3
Calendar days
Total Call OI
1,951
Nearest expiry
Total Put OI
2,007
Nearest expiry
P/C OI Ratio
1.03
Put-heavy
Spot Price
$181.84
Published close
Consensus
-
Open report for full read
Max Pain by Expiration
Pain by Strike
Drill into expiration
Selected: 2026-08-21
Expiration
Max Pain Strike
Last Updated
2026-06-18
$165.00
6/18/2026, 11:11:22 PM
2026-07-17
$170.00
7/17/2026, 11:15:10 PM
2026-08-21NextUpdated
$175.00
8/18/2026, 11:12:21 PM
2026-09-18
$175.00
8/18/2026, 11:12:21 PM
2026-10-16
$165.00
8/18/2026, 11:12:21 PM
2026-12-18
$195.00
8/18/2026, 11:12:21 PM
2027-01-15
$180.00
8/18/2026, 11:12:21 PM
Selected expiration: 2026-08-21 at max pain $175.00.
EFX pain by strike for 2026-08-21 expiration
Strike
Call Pain
Put Pain
Total Pain
110
0
9866000
9866000
115
4000
8862500
8866500
120
8000
7860500
7868500
130
16000
5990500
6006500
135
20000
5062500
5082500
140
24500
4136500
4161000
145
29000
3347500
3376500
150
33500
2651500
2685000
155
45000
2123500
2168500
160
149500
1741000
1890500
165
273500
1367500
1641000
170
459000
1017500
1476500
175
660500
710000
1370500
180
934500
472500
1407000
185
1293500
296000
1589500
190
1813500
122000
1935500
195
2417500
61000
2478500
200
3036500
0
3036500
210
4691500
0
4691500
220
6610500
0
6610500
How to Read Max Pain
Compare pin-risk and strike-pressure across expirations from the latest published close.
What max pain measures
Max pain is the strike where option holders would collectively lose the most at expiration, based on open interest across the listed chain.
How traders use it
It is most useful as a possible pinning zone, especially when spot is already trading near a crowded strike into expiration.
What can break it
Strong directional flows, news, or fast spot moves can overwhelm any pinning tendency, so max pain should support a thesis rather than drive it alone.
The closer you are to expiration, the more useful this becomes as context and the less useful it is as a standalone prediction.