This page reflects HWC 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 — HWC
Data as of market close Aug 18, 2026
Nearest listed expiration 2026-08-21 shows max pain at $65.00 (13.25 below spot). Use this page to evaluate pin-risk zones, strike pressure, and open-interest concentration before selecting trade structure.
Max Pain Strike
$65.00
Nearest expiry
Expected Move
±$4.88
±6.2%
Days to Expiry
3
Calendar days
Total Call OI
486
Nearest expiry
Total Put OI
13
Nearest expiry
P/C OI Ratio
0.03
Put-heavy
Spot Price
$78.25
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
$60.00
6/18/2026, 11:14:49 PM
2026-07-17
$70.00
7/17/2026, 11:17:52 PM
2026-08-21NextUpdated
$65.00
8/18/2026, 11:17:15 PM
2026-09-18
$80.00
8/18/2026, 11:17:15 PM
2026-11-20
$70.00
8/18/2026, 11:17:15 PM
Selected expiration: 2026-08-21 at max pain $65.00.
HWC pain by strike for 2026-08-21 expiration
Strike
Call Pain
Put Pain
Total Pain
45
0
24000
24000
50
0
18000
18000
55
1000
12500
13500
60
2000
7000
9000
65
3000
4000
7000
70
5500
2000
7500
75
17500
500
18000
80
249000
0
249000
85
492000
0
492000
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.