thetaOwl

NVDA

NVIDIA CorporationClose $214.86EOD only
Max Pain
$220.00
Next expiry May 27, 2026
Expected Move
±$3.35
1.6% from close
Price Gap
+5.14
Distance to max pain
IV Rank
32
Middle-high premium
P/C OI
0.82
Slightly call-heavy
Consensus
8.0/10
Bullish tilt
Published snapshot: May 26, 2026 close
End-of-day snapshot

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

Published Snapshot
May 26, 2026 close
NVDA Directional Report
Analysis based on market close April 17, 2026

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

You are viewing an older report from April 17, 2026. A newer directional report is available for May 26, 2026.

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Outlook

Bullish thesis: dealers long gamma (GEX +$1.1B) and net buying (DEX +460.5M) are pinning NVDA above midpoint, supporting continued upside into $207–212; momentum and market rally reinforce call-led flow but spot sits ~9% above MP so pullbacks to $196–200 remain possible.

Confidence:
8 / 10
High confidence from aligned GEX/flow and positive dealer delta; tempered by spot distance from recorded MP and normal vol regime.
Supports: GEX +$1.1B; DEX +460.5M shares; market-wide risk-on (SPY/QQQ up)
Conflicts: Spot 9% above MP levels; no nearby put OI concentration (limited downside pin)
📌Pinning evident: max-pain pins clustered $185–$192 but dealer gamma/flow holding price above MP
📈Bullish dealer backdrop: large positive GEX (+$1.1B) and heavy buy-side delta (+460.5M shares)
⚠️Spot ~9% above midpoint — corrections to $196–200 plausible despite pinning

Regime Classification

Vol Regime
Normal
Normal IV vs market (VIX ~17); no extreme richness.
Gamma Regime
Pinning
Dealer long-gamma regime: positive GEX implies dealers are long gamma, which mutes realized volatility and supports price stability near current levels.
Flow Regime
Bullish
Bullish premium flow and buy-side delta dominate, reinforcing upside; little put concentration to pin downside.
Spot vs Max Pain
Above
Spot above MP and edges of put pain; distance creates pullback vulnerability despite dealer support.
Thesis duration: Multi-week — Sustained positive dealer positioning and large GEX imply multi-week bias rather than single-day event

Price Range Forecast

Next 2 days
$200.45$202.90
Trading inside 2d guardrails $200.45–$202.90; expect consolidation or grind higher
Next 1 week
$196.35$207.01
Range $196.35–$207.01; momentum and flow favor pushes toward upper bound
Next 2 weeks
$191.35$212.00
Wider upside room to $212 if market holds; pullbacks to $191–196 possible on mean reversion

Key Levels

Max pain pins: $185 (2026-04-17); $192 (2026-04-20); $190 (2026-04-22)
EM guardrails: 2d $200.45/$202.90; 1w $196.35/$207.01
Support: $191.35 · $185.00
Resistance: $212.00
Structural: 2d guardrails $200.45/$202.90; 1w $196.35/$207.01; structural support $191.35 and $185; resistance $212; max-pain pins: $185 (4/17), $192 (4/20), $190 (4/22).

Dealer Positioning (GEX/DEX)

GEX: $+1.1B

DEX: +460.5M shares

Gamma flip: N/A

NTM gamma: GEX +$1.1B; DEX +460.5M shares; dealer long-gamma supports pinning and reduces realized vol near spot.

IV Analysis

IV vs VIX: NVDA IV roughly in line with VIX (neutral); no material richness to force vol-led adjustments.

Term structure: Term structure relatively flat/normal across near-term expiries; no sharp event kinks in front-month.

Skew: Put skew modest; vol-structure opportunity: front-week call skew rich vs further dated vols — favorable to structure (calendar/roll) trades if seeking to monetize elevated near-term call demand.

Flow Analysis

Net premium: Net premium +1.095B USD received (net cash flow = sum premiums received minus paid); put/call volume = 0.47 and put/call OI = 0.86 — net premium inflow plus call-skew supports an overall bullish bias.

Directional prints: 8.4 put 200 OTM 2026-04-17 — Massive same-day 198,904 volume vs 7,990 OI (vol/oi 24.9) — likely large sell-to-open puts (net premium received) or put-heavy structured sale; trade reads bullish (short puts) with short-dated gamma exposure. 19.5 call 205 OTM 2026-04-20 — Very large Apr20 call flow (75,586 vol, 6,043 OI, vol/oi 12.5) — consistent with outright call buying or buyers adding upside via spreads; bolsters bullish view.

Unusual: 8.6 put 202.5 ITM 2026-04-17 — Extremely high vol/oi (48.0) on Apr17 202.5 puts (34,566 vol, 720 OI) — likely sweep/large block put sell or one-off institutional hedging. 51.8 call 265 OTM 2026-05-01 — May01 265 call with elevated IV (51.8) and notable volume (3,715) — long-dated directional call speculation or collar leg; unusual IV relative to nearer expiries.

Risks & Catalysts

!Broad market reversal erases dealer-provided support
!Sharp correction to MP region (~185–196) if flows flip
!Company-specific news or cyclical tech shock increasing realized vol

Strategy Viability

StrategyEdgeBest SetupPrimary Risk
Bull call spreadModerate-Strong
Buy 2026-05-29 $200.00/$210.00 call spread
Why now: Market and dealer flow are call-led; buy-call/sell-higher-call expresses directional upside with defined risk across earnings window.
Earnings or broad-market reversal can spike vol and compress spread P/L
Put credit spreadModerate-Strong
Sell 2026-05-22 $190.00/$185.00 put spread
Why now: Net premium inflow, dealer long gamma and call-led flow support upper range; sell downside premium to collect skew while limiting tail risk into/through earnings.
Broad market reversal or sharp realized vol spike; capped upside.
Bull call spreadModerate
Buy 2026-05-22 $200.00/$215.00 call spread
Why now: Momentum and dealer flows favor call demand; defined-risk debit spread captures upside while capping cost into earnings.
Upside limited by sold call; IV rise into earnings widens paid leg.
Bullish risk reversalModerate-Strong
Buy 2026-05-22 $210.00 call / sell 2026-05-22 $195.00 put
Why now: Call-led flow and dealer pinning make financed upside attractive; keeps directional exposure with limited capital outlay.
Naked short put exposure if spot gaps lower; requires margin or cash cover.
Cash-secured putModerate
Sell 2026-05-29 $190.00 cash-secured put
Why now: If willing to own NVDA on a pullback, selling puts at support monetizes dealer pinning and yields income while meeting desired buy price.
Assignment into a sharp gap lower or broad market sell-off.
Call calendarModerate-Weak
Sell 2026-05-01 $205.00 call / buy 2026-05-29 $205.00 call
Why now: Front-month call flow is heavy; sell nearer-dated calls and own back-month to benefit if spot grinds higher or stays pinned above midpoint into earnings.
Front-month gap or fast move raises short call gamma risk; requires monitoring.

Top Plays

#1
Defined-risk bull call spread (May29 200/210)
Buy 2026-05-29 $200.00/$210.00 call spread
Buy 200/210 back-month spread to capture upside toward $207–$212 while limiting loss if spot reverts to MP.
Why this play: Directly expresses call-led dealer flow and caps risk across the multi-week/into-earnings window.
Debit: $4.16-$5.09
Max loss: $5.09
BE: $205.09
Mgmt: Take partial profits as spread nears max value; trim on >6% gap down or breach of invalidation 191.35.
Momentum traders who want directional upside with limited capital at risk.
#2
Put credit spread (Sell 190/Buy 185 May22)
Sell 2026-05-22 $190.00/$185.00 put spread
Sell 190/185 to monetize downside premium into short-dated pinning/support region.
Why this play: Collects skewed premium consistent with net premium inflow and dealer pinning while limiting tail risk.
Credit: $1.17-$1.43
Max loss: $3.57
BE: $188.57
Mgmt: Close or roll if spot falls toward 191–190 or broad market risk reverses; cut at invalidation 191.35.
Income-oriented traders comfortable with defined downside risk into earnings week.
#3
Call calendar (Sell May1 205 / Buy May29 205)
Sell 2026-05-01 $205.00 call / buy 2026-05-29 $205.00 call
Short near call, long back-month to collect theta and maintain upside exposure into earnings.
Why this play: Exploits heavy front-month call flow and benefits if spot grinds or stays pinned above MP.
Debit: $5.02-$6.13
Max loss: $6.13
BE: Path-dependent
Mgmt: Manage short leg assign/roll risk around May1; unwind if volatility term structure collapses or spot breaks below 191.35.
Theta traders who expect range-bound or slowly rising spot into earnings.

Watchlist Triggers

Entry Triggers
IFIF NVDA trades and holds >200 for 2 sessions OR breaks above 207 on >0.5x average daily volumeTHEN buy 2026-05-29 200/210 call spread (nvda_bull_call_spread_mw1) within entry range 4.16–5.09
IFIF NVDA pulls to 196–191.35 AND 30‑day IV changes by ≤±5% over prior 5 trading daysTHEN sell 2026-05-22 190/185 put spread (nvda_put_credit_may22) within entry range 1.17–1.43
IFIF spot closes inside 200–207 for 3 consecutive sessions AND expected theta carry (short front-month) ≥$0.05/dayTHEN establish calendar: sell 2026-05-01 205 call / buy 2026-05-29 205 call (nvda_calendar_call_may1_may29) within entry range 5.02–6.13
Adjustment Triggers
ADJIF 200/210 call spread value ≥80% of max width (≥$8) OR NVDA gaps up >+6% intradayTHEN take partial profits (sell 25–50% position) on 2026-05-29 200/210 call spread; trail stop on remaining at 60% of peak value
Exit Triggers
EXITIF NVDA ≤191.35 OR SPX declines ≥3% intraday OR VIX rises ≥15% intradayTHEN close or roll defined‑risk bullish structures; cut put credit and calendars at invalidation 191.35

Tactical Summary

Bullish multi‑week bias: favor defined call spreads and selective put credits; use IV change ±5%, theta carry ≥$0.05/day, and 191.35 invalidation; take partial profits when spreads reach ≥80% of width.
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This directional reflects the market close on April 17, 2026.
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