Intel Options Traders Bet Big With $2.85M in Call Premium as INTC Climbs to $103.81

By TrendSpider Editor

Intel Corporation is drawing notable attention in the options market Monday, with two unusual call contracts totaling $2,855,400 in combined premium flagged on a day when INTC shares are trading at $103.81, up 1.27% in the session. The bullish positioning spans near-term and longer-dated expirations

Intel Options Traders Bet Big With $2.85M in Call Premium as INTC Climbs to $103.81

Intel Corporation is drawing notable attention in the options market Monday, with two unusual call contracts totaling $2,855,400 in combined premium flagged on a day when INTC shares are trading at $103.81, up 1.27% in the session. The bullish positioning spans near-term and longer-dated expirations, suggesting options traders are layering on directional exposure at multiple timeframes. For context, Intel's 52-week range stretches from a low of $20.44 to a high of $142.34, meaning the stock has staged a remarkable recovery but still sits well below its peak.

Key Drivers of the INTC Stock Move

• Main Catalyst: Two unusual call contracts were flagged today totaling $2,855,400 in premium. The larger of the two is a $105 strike call expiring October 16, 2026, with a size of 2,450 contracts and open interest participation of 50%, carrying $2,685,200 in premium. A second near-term $103 strike call expiring August 21, 2026, printed 500 contracts at $170,200 in premium, and is currently in-the-money.
• Bull Case: The dominant October $105 call represents a substantial $2,685,200 premium commitment with two months of runway, indicating conviction that INTC can sustain a move above $105. The in-the-money August $103 calls suggest short-term traders also see near-term upside with expiration just four days away on August 21.
• Bear Case: Both contracts are call-only flow, meaning there is no put activity countering the bullish positioning, which can sometimes reflect hedging rather than directional speculation. The stock remains more than 38 points below its 52-week high of $142.34, leaving significant overhead supply that could limit upside momentum in the near term.

The forward setup for Intel is intriguing given the scale of premium being deployed here. The October $105 call, with a 50% open interest ratio, suggests roughly half the open interest in that strike was generated by today's activity alone, pointing to fresh positioning rather than a roll of existing exposure. Intel has been navigating a prolonged turnaround under its restructuring efforts, and any acceleration in that narrative could provide the fundamental catalyst this options flow seems to anticipate. With the August $103 calls expiring this Friday, the market will quickly get its first read on whether the near-term optimism embedded in this flow is warranted.

INTC Unusual Options Activity

Two unusual call contracts were flagged in Monday's session, with no put activity recorded:

• Contract 1: Call, $103 strike, expiring August 21, 2026 | Volume: 500 | Open Interest: 30% | Status: In-the-Money | Premium: $170,200
• Contract 2: Call, $105 strike, expiring October 16, 2026 | Volume: 2,450 | Open Interest: 50% | Status: Out-of-the-Money | Premium: $2,685,200

Combined total premium across both contracts stands at $2,855,400, with all flow skewing bullish. The absence of any put contracts reinforces the one-sided directional character of today's unusual activity.

INTC Seasonality

Mid-August has historically been a mixed period for semiconductor stocks as the market begins transitioning its focus toward back-to-school demand signals and early reads on enterprise IT spending into year-end. The October expiration on the larger call contract aligns with a period that typically precedes Intel's third-quarter earnings report, a window where implied volatility often builds and directional bets ahead of results become more common.

INTC Relative Performance

Intel shares are posting a 1.27% gain today, trading at $103.81. While today's move is constructive, the stock's position within its 52-week range tells a broader story: INTC is trading meaningfully above its 52-week low of $20.44, reflecting the substantial recovery the stock has made, but remains well off its 52-week high of $142.34. The gap between the current price and the 52-week high suggests Intel continues to underperform relative to its own peak valuation, even as the options market appears to signal renewed near-term optimism.