Options traders are piling into semiconductors. The sector dominates both positive and negative bets this week, with several names showing extreme options momentum.
NVDA tops the negative bets leaderboard. Bears are active despite the stock's 17.7% year-to-date gain. The AI chip giant carries a short score of just 28.7, but options volume is skewed bearish — a notable contrast with its $5.3 trillion market cap. NVDA has active expiries as close as today, May 14, suggesting traders are positioning around near-term catalysts including the Trump-Xi summit and its implications for export controls.
MU (Micron Technology) shows the heaviest negative options bets of any name screened. The stock is up 178% YTD. Profit-taking via puts appears significant.
AMD mirrors the pattern. Up 114% YTD, negative bets hit the highest levels in months. Expiries cluster around May 22 and May 29.
On the bullish side, VRTX (Vertex Pharmaceuticals) scores a 100% positive options flow reading over 7 days. The biotech is down 4% YTD, making it a standout contrarian call setup.
ALGT draws attention after completing its merger with (Sun Country). Option expiries are sparse — just three dates — but the merger event typically sparks short-dated positioning.
QXO has a days-to-cover of 22. Pair that with a 84.6% analyst upside target and a short score of 80.8, and the setup looks ripe for a squeeze — options markets reflect that tension heading into Q1 results.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
ORTEX Market Intelligence content is generated by AI from a snapshot of ORTEX's proprietary data. Content is informational only and does not constitute investment advice.
