Term structure: Steep front-month IV (52% for 4/2), normalizing to ~41% by May
Spot vs MP: Above max pain by 10.2% (spot $65.00 vs MP $59.00)
GEX regime: Strong Pinning (GEX +$114.0M)
OI concentrations: Call walls at $67 (38.7K OI) and $65 (29.8K OI). Put support at $60 (29.3K OI CALL, but also key level).
#1put spread
Sell $60/$57.5 put spread 2026-04-17 (17 DTE)
Targets major OI support at $60 (call wall acts as magnet). High IV provides good credit. Strong positive GEX supports pinning above this level. 17 DTE avoids front-week noise.
Mgmt: Close at 65% max profit (~$0.29 credit remaining). Exit if OXY closes below $60.00. Roll down/out if tested but not breached.
#2iron condor
Sell $60/$57.5P x $70/$73C 2026-04-24 (24 DTE)
Wide range defined by OI call wall ($70) and put support ($60). Expected move ($5.61) fits within wings. High IV and pinning regime favor range-bound play.
Mgmt: Close at 50% max profit. Manage wings independently: roll tested side out 1-2 weeks for credit. Exit entire position if spot breaches either short strike.
#3cash-secured put
Sell $57.5 put 2026-05-15 (45 DTE)
For capital-secure sellers. Strike is below major OI support, near longer-term max pain ($50-$60). Collecting high annualized premium in pinning environment. 45 DTE allows time for theta decay.
Mgmt: Close at 50% profit (~$1.00 remaining). Roll down/out at 21 DTE if tested. Accept assignment below $57.5 if comfortable owning stock.
#4call credit spread
Sell $67/$69 call spread 2026-04-10 (10 DTE)
Targets massive call OI wall at $67 (38.7K). Spot is $2 below, providing buffer. High front-week IV (43.6%) offers good credit for short DTE. Positive GEX resists upward breaks.
Mgmt: Close at 80% profit due to short DTE. Exit immediately if OXY closes above $67. Do not hold into earnings.
!Earnings expected ~2026-05-06 (5 weeks out). Close or roll all short premium positions at least 1 week prior.
!Spot is 10% above max pain — a sharp drop toward $59 could accelerate if positive GEX support fails.
!Unusual call buying at $64 (Apr 10 & May 1 expiries) suggests institutional bullish bets — monitor for breakout above $65.
!High IV (48%) can compress rapidly on calm — avoid long vega positions like naked strangles.
!Positive GEX of +$114M is strong, but a break below key support ($60) could see accelerated selling as dealer hedging flips.