Communication Services Select Sector SPDRClose $110.48EOD only
Max Pain
$110.00
Next expiry Aug 21, 2026
Expected Move
±$0.88
0.8% from close
Price Gap
-0.48
Distance to max pain
IV Rank
17
Low premium
P/C OI
6.22
Slightly put-heavy
Consensus
—
No reports available
Published snapshot: Aug 18, 2026 close
End-of-day snapshot
This page reflects XLC 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 — XLC
Data as of market close Aug 18, 2026
Nearest listed expiration 2026-08-21 shows max pain at $110.00 (0.48 below spot). Use this page to evaluate pin-risk zones, strike pressure, and open-interest concentration before selecting trade structure.
Max Pain Strike
$110.00
Nearest expiry
Expected Move
±$0.88
±0.8%
Days to Expiry
3
Calendar days
Total Call OI
5,241
Nearest expiry
Total Put OI
3,272
Nearest expiry
P/C OI Ratio
0.62
Put-heavy
Spot Price
$110.48
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
2026-08-07
$108.00
8/7/2026, 11:37:24 PM
2026-08-14
$106.00
8/14/2026, 11:44:31 PM
2026-08-21NextUpdated
$110.00
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
2026-08-28
$112.00
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
2026-09-04
$100.00
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
2026-09-11
$111.00
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
2026-09-18
$111.00
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
2026-09-25
$111.50
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
2026-12-18
$115.00
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
2027-01-15
$115.00
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
2027-03-19
$109.00
8/18/2026, 11:38:51 PM
Selected expiration: 2026-08-21 at max pain $110.00.
XLC pain by strike for 2026-08-21 expiration
Strike
Call Pain
Put Pain
Total Pain
70
0
10889250
10889250
75
500
9253250
9253750
80
1500
7617250
7618750
85
3500
5981750
5985250
90
8500
4346250
4354750
95
14000
2715750
2729750
98
20300
1738950
1759250
99
22400
1415150
1437550
100
24500
1248850
1273350
101
26600
1087550
1114150
102
28700
926550
955250
103
30800
768250
799050
104
32900
611250
644150
105
35000
457550
492550
106
37100
355550
392650
107
45300
275650
320950
108
63300
205650
268950
109
114000
137650
251650
109.5
140400
107100
247500
110
166800
76650
243450
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.