Edited by Peter Hillerberg1 min readStories are generated from ORTEX data and reviewed by the ORTEX team. How we publish
Semiconductor names are drawing the heaviest two-sided options bets of the week, while biotech catches a sudden fear-driven bid after reports of plague cases linked to Russia.
MU tops ORTEX options flow rankings on both the bullish and bearish side. The stock is up 277% year-to-date. That scale of gain tends to attract hedgers as much as momentum chasers. NVDA and AMD follow closely, with AMD's RSI sitting at 70, a level that typically draws put writers looking to fade overbought conditions.
INTC appears in the top bearish bets list despite a 223% YTD gain. Options traders appear unconvinced the rally holds, with the stock facing an analyst consensus implying negative return potential.
In biotech, news of Russia-linked plague fears pushed options attention to NVAX and MRNA. Novavax carries a short score of 80.9 out of 100 and days-to-cover of 10.8, making it a volatile candidate for sharp moves on any health scare. The stock is up 56% year-to-date, so short sellers are already under pressure.
Broader market context adds fuel. Remaining buyback authorisations hit $58.2bn in Q2 2026, the largest on record since 2013 according to ORTEX Alt Data. That level of corporate cash deployment tends to put a floor under put selling in large-cap names, even as geopolitical noise from Iran and Middle East tensions lifts hedging demand on SPY.
TSLA draws attention ahead of its Q3 results. The stock is down 18% this year. Options sentiment is split.
ORTEX Market Intelligence content is generated by AI from a snapshot of ORTEX's proprietary data and reviewed by the ORTEX team. Content is informational only and does not constitute investment advice.
