Bulls Take Charge as CPI Ignites Options Flow

Markets lit up on August 12 after July CPI landed on target. Call-side demand surged across several high-profile names.

CPI Fuels Broad Bullish Positioning

July inflation data printed in line with forecasts. That snapped the VIX lower. Options flow swung decisively toward calls on names sensitive to rate expectations. The move was broad but concentrated in AI, crypto, and growth tech.

RIOT Leads Unusual Activity

RIOT spiked onto the radar following news its Anthropic deal signals a pivot from pure Bitcoin mining to AI infrastructure. The stock is up 60% year-to-date. A short score of 61 and a 3.5-day DTC reading makes it a prime candidate for options squeezes. Traders appear positioned for continued momentum.

LEGN: Short Surge Meets Call Volume

Short interest in LEGN jumped 22% in a single week to 11% of free float. Availability collapsed 56% to just 24%. That squeeze setup is drawing options attention. Analysts see 136% upside. With an earnings call upcoming, the risk/reward on near-term calls looks sharp.

SMCI Catches Post-CPI Lift

SMCI carries a short score of 63 and 2.4 days to cover. It featured prominently in today's market rally news. The RSI sits at 56 — room to run. Options traders appear to be positioning for a momentum extension into Q4 results.

Bullish Tone Dominates Broader Market

CRWV — up 34% YTD — holds 46% analyst upside. Options sentiment across large-cap names like SCHW shows 100% positive options flow over seven days. The broad signal: bulls are in control after CPI.

This is not financial advice.