Intel Options Traders Load Up on Calls as INTC Climbs 1.70% Toward $105 Strike

By TrendSpider Editor

Intel Corporation is drawing significant attention in the options market today, with a dominant $915,000 call contract at the $105 strike leading $1.27 million in total unusual options premium as INTC trades at $91.58, up 1.70% on the session. The activity skews heavily bullish, with two call contra

Intel Options Traders Load Up on Calls as INTC Climbs 1.70% Toward $105 Strike

Intel Corporation is drawing significant attention in the options market today, with a dominant $915,000 call contract at the $105 strike leading $1.27 million in total unusual options premium as INTC trades at $91.58, up 1.70% on the session. The activity skews heavily bullish, with two call contracts accounting for the bulk of the flow. For context, Intel shares sit well off their 52-week low of $23.68, reflecting a remarkable recovery, though they remain far below the 52-week high of $142.34, leaving meaningful room in both directions.

Key Drivers of the INTC Stock Move

• Main Catalyst: Four unusual options contracts totaling $1,267,114 in premium hit the tape today. The largest single contract was a 3,000-lot call at the $105 strike expiring October 16, 2026, carrying $915,000 in premium and representing 23% of open interest. A second call at $100 expiring September 18, 2026 added $90,114 in premium with 653 contracts. On the put side, a 1,000-lot contract at the $80 strike expiring October 16 brought in $236,000, while a smaller 100-lot put at the $92 strike expiring September 9, 2026 contributed $26,000 and notably came in-the-money.
• Bull Case: The $915,000 call block at $105 represents 23% of existing open interest, signaling a meaningful, directional bet by a large player. Combined with the $100 call, bullish premium totals over $1 million, suggesting institutional confidence that INTC can push through current levels toward the $100 to $105 range within the next six to seven weeks.
• Bear Case: The $80 put expiring October 16 carries $236,000 in premium at 4% of open interest, indicating some hedging activity against a potential pullback of more than 12% from current levels. The in-the-money $92 put expiring September 9 at 244% of open interest is a notable outlier and could reflect a near-term directional bet or protective positioning ahead of a catalyst in the coming days.

The forward setup for Intel is layered with complexity. The stock has staged an extraordinary recovery from its 52-week low of $23.68 earlier in the year, and the clustering of October expiry contracts suggests options traders are positioning around a near-term catalyst window. The $105 call in particular implies expectations of a roughly 15% move higher from current levels within six weeks. The in-the-money $92 put expiring September 9 is worth watching closely given its 244% open interest ratio, as that level sits just above the current price and could act as a near-term magnet or resistance zone heading into the following week.

INTC Unusual Options Activity

• Contract 1: Call, $105 strike, expiring October 16, 2026 | Volume: 3,000 | Open Interest: 23% | Out of the Money | Premium: $915,000
• Contract 2: Put, $80 strike, expiring October 16, 2026 | Volume: 1,000 | Open Interest: 4% | Out of the Money | Premium: $236,000
• Contract 3: Call, $100 strike, expiring September 18, 2026 | Volume: 653 | Open Interest: 1% | Out of the Money | Premium: $90,114
• Contract 4: Put, $92 strike, expiring September 9, 2026 | Volume: 100 | Open Interest: 244% | In the Money | Premium: $26,000

The most notable contract by open interest percentage is the $92 put expiring in just six days, where volume represents 244% of open interest. This kind of outsized ratio relative to existing contracts typically signals a fresh, urgent directional position rather than routine hedging. Taken together, the four contracts reflect a market that is broadly leaning bullish on Intel over the next six weeks while leaving a clear hedge in place for a downside scenario.

INTC Seasonality

September and October have historically been a mixed but event-heavy period for semiconductor names, often coinciding with product announcements and quarterly guidance updates. The concentration of October 16 expiry contracts in today's flow suggests traders may be anticipating a specific catalyst, such as an earnings report or investor event, within that window.

INTC Relative Performance

INTC's 1.70% gain today reflects modest outperformance on a session basis relative to broader market conditions. The stock's recovery from a 52-week low of $23.68 to its current price of $91.58 represents a dramatic rebound, though the gap between the current price and the 52-week high of $142.34 indicates the stock still has significant ground to recover before reclaiming its prior peak. The options flow today suggests at least some institutional participants believe that recovery has further to run in the near term.