This page reflects NUE 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 — NUE
Data as of market close Aug 18, 2026
Nearest listed expiration 2026-08-21 shows max pain at $240.00 (24.19 below spot). Use this page to evaluate pin-risk zones, strike pressure, and open-interest concentration before selecting trade structure.
Max Pain Strike
$240.00
Nearest expiry
Expected Move
±$9.65
±3.6%
Days to Expiry
3
Calendar days
Total Call OI
3,714
Nearest expiry
Total Put OI
2,182
Nearest expiry
P/C OI Ratio
0.59
Put-heavy
Spot Price
$264.19
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
$220.00
6/18/2026, 11:23:48 PM
2026-07-17
$220.00
7/17/2026, 11:25:29 PM
2026-08-21NextUpdated
$240.00
8/18/2026, 11:30:00 PM
2026-09-18
$220.00
8/18/2026, 11:30:00 PM
2026-10-16
$230.00
8/18/2026, 11:30:00 PM
2026-12-18
$200.00
8/18/2026, 11:30:00 PM
2027-01-15
$170.00
8/18/2026, 11:30:00 PM
2027-03-19
$250.00
8/18/2026, 11:30:00 PM
2027-06-17
$190.00
8/18/2026, 11:30:00 PM
Selected expiration: 2026-08-21 at max pain $240.00.
NUE pain by strike for 2026-08-21 expiration
Strike
Call Pain
Put Pain
Total Pain
160
0
15600000
15600000
165
8000
14529500
14537500
170
17000
13462000
13479000
175
26000
12400000
12426000
180
39000
11341000
11380000
185
56000
10302000
10358000
190
74000
9295500
9369500
195
96500
8296000
8392500
200
120000
7312000
7432000
210
177000
5427000
5604000
220
243000
3778000
4021000
230
347000
2422000
2769000
240
674000
1262000
1936000
250
1569000
656000
2225000
260
3086000
280000
3366000
270
5098000
66000
5164000
280
7396000
4000
7400000
290
10335000
0
10335000
300
13736000
0
13736000
310
17300000
0
17300000
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.