This page reflects NXST 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 — NXST
Data as of market close Aug 18, 2026
Nearest listed expiration 2026-08-21 shows max pain at $185.00 (2.43 above spot). Use this page to evaluate pin-risk zones, strike pressure, and open-interest concentration before selecting trade structure.
Max Pain Strike
$185.00
Nearest expiry
Expected Move
±$6.67
±3.7%
Days to Expiry
3
Calendar days
Total Call OI
252
Nearest expiry
Total Put OI
253
Nearest expiry
P/C OI Ratio
1.00
Put-heavy
Spot Price
$182.57
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
$175.00
6/18/2026, 11:25:31 PM
2026-07-17
$175.00
7/17/2026, 11:30:26 PM
2026-08-21NextUpdated
$185.00
8/18/2026, 11:31:23 PM
2026-09-18
$185.00
8/18/2026, 11:31:23 PM
2026-10-16
$185.00
8/18/2026, 11:31:23 PM
2026-11-20
$180.00
8/18/2026, 11:31:23 PM
2026-12-18
$175.00
8/18/2026, 11:31:23 PM
2027-02-19
$190.00
8/18/2026, 11:31:23 PM
Selected expiration: 2026-08-21 at max pain $185.00.
NXST pain by strike for 2026-08-21 expiration
Strike
Call Pain
Put Pain
Total Pain
110
0
1319500
1319500
115
0
1193500
1193500
120
0
1068000
1068000
125
0
943500
943500
130
0
819500
819500
135
0
696500
696500
140
0
577500
577500
145
0
469500
469500
150
0
370500
370500
155
0
279000
279000
160
0
198500
198500
165
0
144000
144000
170
0
96500
96500
175
500
61500
62000
180
1000
36000
37000
185
4500
21000
25500
190
28000
10000
38000
195
57500
5000
62500
200
93500
0
93500
210
243500
0
243500
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.