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Options Flow

Real-time options flow monitoring with market tide and net premium analysis

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Overview

Options Flow provides real-time monitoring of options order flow across the market. It tracks live option trades as they execute, aggregates them into a Market Tide indicator showing cumulative buying vs selling pressure, and calculates Net Premium to reveal where large directional bets are being placed. This is one of the most powerful tools for gauging institutional sentiment in real time.

Tabs

Live Flow

A real-time feed of individual options trades as they execute across exchanges. Each row represents a single trade or block with details about the contract, size, and inferred sentiment. Auto-refreshes every 30 seconds.

  • -Symbol, contract type (call/put), strike, expiration
  • -Trade size (contracts), premium paid, and spot price at execution
  • -Sentiment classification (bullish, bearish, neutral)
  • -Trade type detection (sweep, block, split, single)
  • -Auto-polling every 30 seconds with manual refresh button
  • -Most recent 100 trades displayed
Market Tide

A cumulative line chart showing the running total of bullish minus bearish options premium across the market. Rising tide means more bullish flow; falling tide means more bearish flow. Navigate between trading days to compare patterns.

  • -Cumulative bullish-minus-bearish premium chart
  • -Toggle between 1-minute and 5-minute aggregation intervals
  • -Date navigation: move forward/backward between trading days
  • -Intraday pattern recognition (morning sentiment vs afternoon reversal)
Net Premium

A chart showing the net dollar premium flow over time. Positive values mean more capital is flowing into bullish positions; negative values mean bearish positioning dominates.

  • -Net premium bar chart by time interval
  • -Running cumulative net premium line
  • -Call vs put premium breakdown

Reading Options Flow

FieldWhat It Tells You
SweepAggressive order split across exchanges for fast execution — high conviction signal
BlockSingle large trade, often institutional. May be a hedge or a directional bet
Call Sweep (Bullish)Buyer paying the ask for calls aggressively — very bullish
Put Sweep (Bearish)Buyer paying the ask for puts aggressively — very bearish
Premium > $1MLarge dollar commitment indicates institutional-level conviction
Near-term expiryShort-dated options amplify directional bets — high risk/reward

Warning

Not all flow is directional. Institutions use options for hedging, rolling positions, and complex multi-leg strategies. A large put purchase may be a hedge on a long stock position, not a bearish bet. Always consider context.

Interpreting Market Tide

  • Rising tide throughout the day = sustained bullish sentiment; market likely to close higher
  • Falling tide throughout the day = sustained bearish sentiment; market likely to close lower
  • Morning spike then reversal = early sentiment faded; watch for mean reversion
  • Flat tide = balanced flow; no strong directional bias from options markets
  • Compare today's tide shape to previous days for pattern recognition

How to Use

  • Open Options Flow from the sidebar
  • Start with the Live Flow tab to see what is trading right now
  • Watch for sweeps with high premium — these are the highest-conviction trades
  • Switch to Market Tide to see the cumulative sentiment picture for the day
  • Toggle between 1m and 5m intervals to smooth out noise
  • Use date navigation to compare today's tide pattern to previous sessions
  • Check Net Premium for the dollar-weighted directional bias
  • Cross-reference flow signals with the stock's technical setup on the Chart page

This platform provides data and analysis tools for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing on this platform constitutes financial advice, investment recommendations, or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Always conduct your own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.