META Flow Report

Analysis based on market close April 2, 2026

Flow Verdict

Confidence:

6 / 10

base 5; +1.0 sustained negative net premium; +0.5 concentrated put flow near spot; +0.5 pinning GEX regime; -1.0 conflicting P/C volume ratio (0.67 call-dominant)

Watch next session: Spot reaction to $570-$575 OI cluster; Net premium flow for 4/6 expiry; Any follow-through in the $680P 4/17 position

Flow Summary

Net premium: -$82.8M bearish

P/C volume ratio: 0.67 — call-dominant volume

P/C OI ratio: 0.48 — heavily call-leaning positioning

A clear conflict: volume is call-dominant, but net premium is significantly negative, indicating institutions are paying more for puts than calls. This suggests large, expensive put purchases (likely hedges) are being financed by smaller, cheaper call sales, creating a defensive posture.

Notable Prints

META 4/6 $572.50 Put

Vol: 3,179

OI: 101

Vol/OI: 31.5x

IV: 24.8%

Notional: ~$1.8M (est. avg price $5.75)

Intent: Fresh, aggressive put buying for immediate downside protection.

Dual read: Bought to open (bearish hedge) vs. Sold to open (bullish). High Vol/OI and near-spot strike strongly favor a buyer.

Read-through: This is a direct, at-the-money hedge placed after spot moved up to ~$574. It defines a key support/resistance level for the 4/6 expiry.

META 4/6 $567.50 Call

Vol: 3,710

OI: 115

Vol/OI: 32.3x

IV: 26.5%

Notional: ~$1.1M (est. avg price $3.00)

Intent: Likely call selling (covered calls or short calls) as part of a defensive structure.

Dual read: Could be bullish buyers, but the negative net premium context and proximity to the $572.50P hedge suggest it's more likely a sale to finance protection.

Read-through: Part of a collar or overwriting strategy. Selling calls $7 below spot caps upside but generates premium to offset the cost of the near-ATM puts.

META 4/6 $575.00 Call

Vol: 3,877

OI: 293

Vol/OI: 13.2x

IV: 25.3%

Notional: ~$1.2M (est. avg price $3.00)

Intent: Fresh call selling or spread leg.

Dual read: Buyer (bullish breakout) vs. Seller (resistance). Given the strike is just above spot and part of a cluster of high-volume near-dated calls, selling is more probable.

Read-through: Adds to a call resistance cluster at $575, working in tandem with the $567.50C to create a capped upside profile for the week.

META 4/17 $680.00 Put

Vol: 1,833

OI: 248

Vol/OI: 7.4x

IV: 58.4%

Notional: ~$20.2M (based on provided premium flow)

Intent: Large, far OTM put purchase for longer-dated tail-risk hedging.

Dual read: Almost certainly a buyer. The $20M+ in premium paid (net) is a massive, singular bearish/hedging bet.

Read-through: This is a significant institutional hedge against a major downside move over the next month. The elevated IV (58.4%) indicates someone is willing to pay up for this protection, a notable shift from prior reports.

META 4/6 $565.00 Put

Vol: 4,066

OI: 259

Vol/OI: 15.7x

IV: 26.2%

Notional: ~$2.0M (est. avg price $5.00)

Intent: Fresh put buying, establishing a second layer of support below the $572.50P.

Dual read: Bought to open (bearish/hedge) vs. Sold to open. High volume and low IV relative to other strikes favor a buyer.

Read-through: Builds out a put OI ladder from $560-$575, reinforcing the pinning zone and creating positive gamma (dealers long puts) that will suppress volatility and magnetize price.

Institutional Positioning

Call additions: Minimal near-term. High volume in 4/6 $567.50-$575 calls is likely selling, not buying.

Put additions: Concentrated in 4/6 $572.50P and $565P (near-term hedge), and a massive 4/17 $680P (tail-risk hedge).

GEX/DEX consistency: Yes — Positive GEX (+$44M) from the put OI near spot aligns with the 'pinning' regime, favoring mean reversion toward the $570-$575 cluster.

OI clusters: Near-term: $570-$575 put/call mix (pinning zone). Long-term: Massive call OI at $700+, $750+ remains unchanged.

Hedging evidence: Strong evidence of layered hedging: 1) Near-ATM puts for immediate protection (4/6), 2) Far OTM puts for tail-risk (4/17 $680P). Call selling at $567.50-$575 likely finances part of this.

Max pain context: Spot ($574.46) is 3.0% above aggregate Max Pain ($558). The nearest weekly MP levels ($557.5-$575) are scattered, but the flow-built OI cluster at $570-$575 is the new local magnet.

Signal vs Noise

~The massive negative net premium at strikes like $770, $680, $840 is from far OTM put sales (likely short puts in credit spreads or for yield), not bearish directional buying. This inflates the negative net premium figure.

~The $5 Put with 29,989 OI is a perpetual placeholder/financing strike, not a directional signal.

~High volume in 4/6 options is partly due to weekly expiration dynamics and roll activity from the 4/1 expiry.

~Long-dated call OI at $750+ is legacy positioning (LEAPS, speculative buys) and not indicative of current flow intent.

Key Conclusions

🛡️Layered Hedging in Play: Institutions are actively hedging with near-ATM puts (4/6) and a large tail-risk put (4/17 $680P), indicating elevated defensive concerns.

⚖️Flow Conflict Reveals Strategy: Call-dominant volume but bearish net premium points to a 'finance the hedge' strategy—selling upside calls to offset the cost of protective puts.

🧲Pinning Magnet Strengthens: New put/call OI built at $570-$575, combined with positive GEX, creates a strong mean-reversion zone for spot this week.

📅Earnings Positioning Begins? The IV spike in May expiries (44%+) and the 4/17 $680P hedge may be early moves ahead of the 4/29 earnings date.

Read the Flow analysis for META for 2026-04-02. This AI-generated report covers regime classification, key price levels, strategy recommendations, and actionable trade ideas drawn from end-of-day options data including gamma exposure, delta exposure, and implied volatility.