Term structure: IV humped at 15 DTE (48.7%), elevated through May (~46%), then stable. Backwardation in the front week (40.9% for 4/10).
Spot vs MP: At max pain (spot $339.04 vs MP ~$338)
GEX regime: Pinning (GEX +$5.9M — mean-reverting)
Gamma flip: ~$330.00 — Spot is well above the estimated gamma flip. Positive GEX suggests dealers will sell into rallies and buy dips, promoting range-bound action.
OI concentrations: Major Put Wall: $330 (19K OI). Major Call Walls: $300 (47K OI), $370 (34K OI). The $330 strike remains a key magnet.
#1put spread
Sell $330 / Buy $325 Put Spread, 2026-04-24 (22 DTE)
Directly targets the massive $330 put OI wall (19,431) for support. Spot is ~$9 above the short strike, providing a strong buffer. The 22-day expected move low is $308.84, giving a wide margin of safety. High IV (47.0% for this expiry) yields excellent premium for defined risk in a strong pinning regime. Avoids the earnings event on 4/16.
Mgmt: Close at 65% profit. Roll down to the $325/$320 spread if $330 is breached. Exit the position entirely if spot closes below $328.
#2iron condor
Sell $330/$325 Put Spread & Sell $350/$355 Call Spread, 2026-04-24 (22 DTE)
Defined-risk play on range-bound action between major OI clusters. Short put at $330 is the key support/magnet. Short call at $350 is below the next major call wall at $370 and aligns with near-term max pain at $340-$350. Wings are outside the 22-day expected move ($308.84 - $369.24). Collects high premium due to elevated IV (47.0%).
Mgmt: Close at 50% profit. Manage losing side independently; consider rolling untested side in to reduce risk. Exit the entire condor if spot breaches either short strike by more than $2.
#3call credit spread
Sell $350 / Buy $355 Call Spread, 2026-04-10 (8 DTE)
Capitalizes on the upward pull towards max pain ($338) but resistance near $350. Spot is ~$11 below the short strike. The 8-day expected move top is $354.89, providing a buffer. Lower front-week IV (40.9%) reduces premium but defined risk is appropriate for a weekly play in a pinning regime.
Mgmt: Close at 70% profit. Exit if spot trades above $348. Let expire worthless if OTM.
#4cash-secured put
Sell $300 Put, 2026-05-15 (43 DTE)
For sellers comfortable with assignment and a longer horizon. Targets the major $300 put OI wall (12,387), requiring a >11.5% drop to strike. High IV (45.6%) provides substantial premium (~2.2% of strike) and a 13.6% buffer to breakeven. The strong pinning regime reduces the likelihood of a sharp drop to this level. Position will be held through earnings (manage accordingly).
Mgmt: Roll down/out at 21 DTE if ITM and avoiding assignment. Close at 70% profit. Monitor for early assignment risk (no dividend imminent). Consider closing before earnings on 4/16 to avoid event risk.
!Earnings on 2026-04-16 (14 days) — Never sell naked options through earnings. Close or roll all short premium positions before the announcement. IV will be high, but crush risk is severe.
!Gamma Flip at $330 — Spot is well above this level. A sustained break below $330 could shift the gamma regime from pinning to trending, accelerating downward moves. This is the key invalidation level.
!Spot At Max Pain — Price is at aggregate max pain (~$338). This reinforces the pinning thesis but also increases the chance of a volatile battle around this level as expiration approaches.
!Massive $300 Call OI (46,661) — This is an unusual and extremely large OI concentration far OTM. While not an immediate threat, a massive rally could trigger covering flows, but it's more likely a long-dated hedge.
!Unusual Put Flow at $280 (Oct '26) — High-volume, high-IV put buying far OTM suggests institutional tail-risk hedging, a bearish volatility signal for the longer term.
!IV Crush Risk Post-Earnings — Current elevated IV (~48.6%) is partly event-driven. Be prepared for premium depreciation in longer-dated positions after the April 16th earnings.