Artem Voloskovets
Intel (INTC) tumbled over 5% in today's session, triggering a flood of options trading that points to significant uncertainty among investors. The spike in both call and put contracts highlights a market divided between those betting on further losses and those positioning for a potential bounce.
Key Market Movements
According to data highlighted by unusual_whales Intel dropped to $35.14, down 5.59% on October 14. Options traders jumped in aggressively, moving 342K contracts worth more than $66M in premium. Calls led the charge with 234K contracts ($54M premium) against 108K puts ($13M premium). This tilt toward calls is interesting—even as the stock fell hard, many traders seem to be either betting on a recovery or setting up hedges against more turbulence.
The chart shows the stock sliding from $35.64 with options volume exploding during the drop. Puts spiked early as bears piled on, but call activity picked up soon after, hinting at bargain hunters or volatility hedging. The stock tested support near $34.80, a level that could trigger more selling if it breaks.
Intel's been struggling lately with weak data center numbers and getting outpaced by Nvidia and AMD in the AI chip battle. Still, some investors are sticking around for Intel's long-term manufacturing story and government chip funding. The options flow captures this tension perfectly—shorts versus longs fighting it out.
What's Next
If Intel holds above $35, we might see momentum swing back positive, especially if those call buyers are onto something. But slip below that support zone, and $34.50 or lower comes into play pretty quickly.
Artem Voloskovets
