Stock Markets June 25, 2026 03:32 PM

Applied Materials Options Activity Spikes as Shares Rally 11.2%

Heavy call trading centered on long-dated 2026 strikes as implied volatility climbs

By Avery Klein
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Applied Materials Inc. experienced a surge in options trading, with total volume reaching 80,479 contracts by 3:30 p.m. New York time on Thursday. Call options outpaced puts, notable volumes appeared in July 17, 2026 and June 26, 2026 call strikes, and the stock rallied 11.2% to $654.74. Short-term volatility and skew measures moved noticeably on the session.

Applied Materials Options Activity Spikes as Shares Rally 11.2%
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Key Points

  • Options trading volume for Applied Materials reached 80,479 contracts by 3:30 p.m. New York time on Thursday, with call options (49,633) outnumbering puts (30,846).
  • The most actively traded contract was the July 17, 2026 $950 call (5,624 contracts; open interest 38), and the June 26, 2026 $680 call saw 2,046 contracts (open interest 275).
  • Applied Materials stock climbed 11.2% to $654.74 as three-month implied volatility rose to 78.04% and the three-month 90/110 skew declined to -0.89 percentage points.

Applied Materials Inc. saw brisk activity in its options market on Thursday, with aggregate volume hitting 80,479 contracts by 3:30 p.m. New York time, according to exchange data compiled by Bloomberg.

Calls represented the larger portion of that flow, with 49,633 call contracts traded versus 30,846 put contracts. The single most active line was the July 17, 2026 $950 call, which registered 5,624 contracts traded while showing just 38 contracts of open interest. Another frequently traded call was the June 26, 2026 $680 contract, which recorded 2,046 trades and had open interest of 275 contracts.

On the put side, the July 17, 2026 $150 put was the busiest, with 1,866 contracts exchanged and open interest of 257 contracts. The open interest figures cited here are reported as of Tuesday.

Equity moves accompanied the options activity. Applied Materials shares climbed 11.2% to close the session at $654.74. Measures of implied volatility and skew shifted alongside the price move: the companys three-month volatility rose 3.44 percentage points to 78.04%, while the three-month 90/110 skew fell 1.69 percentage points to -0.89 percentage points.

The combination of elevated call volume, notable trades in long-dated 2026 strikes, and a marked rise in three-month volatility highlights an active derivatives market for Applied Materials on the day. The imbalance between call and put volumes and the change in skew are observable data points for traders and market participants monitoring option-implied views on the stock.


Data points referenced in this report

  • Total options volume by 3:30 p.m. New York time on Thursday: 80,479 contracts
  • Call options: 49,633 contracts
  • Put options: 30,846 contracts
  • Most active call: July 17, 2026 $950 call - 5,624 contracts; open interest 38 contracts
  • Other active call: June 26, 2026 $680 call - 2,046 contracts; open interest 275 contracts
  • Most active put: July 17, 2026 $150 put - 1,866 contracts; open interest 257 contracts
  • Share price change: +11.2% to $654.74
  • Three-month volatility: +3.44 percentage points to 78.04%
  • Three-month 90/110 skew: -1.69 percentage points to -0.89 percentage points
  • Open interest figures are as of Tuesday

Risks

  • Open interest snapshots are reported as of Tuesday, which may not reflect positions established later in the week; this timing difference affects interpretation of trade-to-open-interest relationships - impacts derivatives and trading desks.
  • Elevated three-month implied volatility (78.04%) indicates higher option price levels and greater uncertainty in near-term option pricing - impacts options traders and risk managers.
  • A negative shift in the 90/110 skew (-0.89 percentage points) signals changes in relative pricing of out-of-the-money calls versus puts, which can complicate hedging strategies for market participants in equities and derivatives markets.

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