thetaOwl

XLV

Health Care Select Sector SPDRClose $169.73EOD only
Max Pain
$160.00
Next expiry Aug 21, 2026
Expected Move
±$2.43
1.4% from close
Price Gap
-9.73
Distance to max pain
IV Rank
31
Middle-high premium
P/C OI
1.43
Slightly put-heavy
Consensus
No reports available
Published snapshot: Aug 18, 2026 close
End-of-day snapshot

This page reflects XLV 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 — XLV
Data as of market close Aug 18, 2026

Nearest listed expiration 2026-08-21 shows max pain at $160.00 (9.73 below spot). Use this page to evaluate pin-risk zones, strike pressure, and open-interest concentration before selecting trade structure.

Max Pain Strike
$160.00
Nearest expiry
Expected Move
±$2.43
±1.4%
Days to Expiry
3
Calendar days
Total Call OI
32,334
Nearest expiry
Total Put OI
23,828
Nearest expiry
P/C OI Ratio
0.74
Put-heavy
Spot Price
$169.73
Published close
Consensus
-
Open report for full read

Max Pain by Expiration

Pain by Strike

Drill into expiration
Selected: 2026-08-21
ExpirationMax Pain StrikeLast Updated
2026-08-07$163.008/7/2026, 11:39:57 PM
2026-08-14$165.008/14/2026, 11:43:45 PM
2026-08-21NextUpdated$160.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2026-08-28$161.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2026-09-04$158.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2026-09-11$161.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2026-09-18$155.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2026-09-25$164.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2026-10-02$160.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2026-10-16$165.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2026-12-18$150.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2027-01-15$148.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2027-03-19$161.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
2027-06-17$165.008/18/2026, 11:38:46 PM
Selected expiration: 2026-08-21 at max pain $160.00.
XLV pain by strike for 2026-08-21 expiration
StrikeCall PainPut PainTotal Pain
750191357250191357250
801000179443250179444250
852500167535250167537750
905000155627250155632250
9512500143724250143736750
10024500131826250131850750
10547500119938750119986250
11078000108051250108129250
1151095009616375096273250
1201430008428225084425250
1251780007246575072643750
1302145006065325060867750
1352560004892825049184250
1383001004201925042319350
1393148003972335040038150
1403300003742875037758750
1413466003514185035488450
1423635003285505033218550
1433804003059775030978150
1443978002837155028769350
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.