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Kevin Samel

Options & Derivatives Analyst

Kevin Samel covers options flow, dealer positioning, and volatility for StreetAlpha. He focuses on translating order-book mechanics into setups active traders can read on the tape.

optionsgamma exposuredealer positioningvolatilityIVwhale flowdark poolderivativesGreeks
whale-flow PLTR Monday, August 24, 2026
PLTR Options Flow: $145M Net Bearish Despite Surface Call Activity
Net premium in PLTR skewed $145M bearish today even as call flow dominated alerts. The mismatch suggests hedging, not conviction.
whale-flow INTC Friday, August 21, 2026
INTC Draws $37M in Net Bearish Premium as LEAPS Puts Stack Up
Intel options flow prints $37.3M bearish today, led by $1.55M in Jan 2027 $90 puts. Positioning reflects hedging against further dilution drag.
whale-flow MU Wednesday, August 19, 2026
MU Options Flow Shows $131M Net Put Premium as Stock Drops 7%
MU sees $131.4M in net bearish premium today with concentrated put activity at $940, but scattered call flow at extreme strikes muddies the directional read.
macro Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Treasury Expands Buybacks for Long Bonds, Yields Slide
Treasury's scaled-up buyback program targets $38B in Q3 2026, with today's 20-30Y operation drawing 3.5x oversubscription and pulling yields lower.
whale-flow AVGO Monday, August 17, 2026
AVGO Puts Draw $89M Net Bearish Flow Ahead of Earnings
Institutional traders pushed $89.2M in net bearish premium into AVGO options today, with repeated hits on puts spanning September 2026 through December 2028.
whale-flow RTX Friday, August 14, 2026
RTX Sees $116M in Bullish Options Flow as Defense Contracts Stack Up
Net premium impact hit $115.8M bullish in RTX today, with repeated institutional hits across call strikes from $200 to $260 through March 2027.
macro Friday, August 14, 2026
July Retail Sales Drop 0.6% on Cheaper Gas and Prime Day Payback
U.S. retail sales fell 0.6% in July to $763.6B, missing forecasts. Falling gas prices and a Prime Day hangover explain most of the pullback.
whale-flow NVDA Wednesday, August 12, 2026
NVDA Options Flow Turns Net Bearish by $52M Ahead of Earnings
NVDA logged $52.1M in net bearish options premium today. Flow clusters around August expiries as institutions position ahead of the Aug 26 earnings report.
whale-flow SNDK Friday, August 7, 2026
SNDK Options Flow Turns Bullish Despite 7% Stock Drop
SNDK sees $86.2M in net bullish options flow after earnings-driven selloff. October 1300 calls lead the positioning as traders bet on a rebound.
general SPY Wednesday, August 5, 2026
50 vs 200 Day Moving Average: Golden Cross, Death Cross, and the Honest Stats
Moving average crossovers are everywhere. Here's what backtests reveal about golden cross and death cross signals on the S&P 500.
whale-flow PLTR Wednesday, August 5, 2026
PLTR Call Flow Piles Into $160-165 Strikes Ahead of Q2 Print
Palantir saw $155.8M in net bullish options premium today, concentrated in $160 to $165 calls expiring Friday. The setup comes two days before Q2 earnings.
general Monday, August 3, 2026
RSI Divergence: Why It Fails More Than It Works
RSI divergence is one of the most overrated signals in retail TA. Here's why it fails, when it occasionally works, and what filters might help.
equities SHA Friday, July 31, 2026
Schaeffler Slashes 2028 Outlook as Auto Sector Weakness Bites
Schaeffler cut its 2028 revenue and margin targets, citing a darkening outlook for the auto industry. Shares slid in early Frankfurt trading.
whale-flow SOXL Monday, July 27, 2026
SOXL Puts Draw $66.6M Net Bearish Premium Amid Chip Sector Unwind
Institutional flow in SOXL tilted sharply bearish today, with net premium impact at negative $66.6M. Put activity concentrated in end-of-month expiries.
whale-flow TSLA Friday, July 24, 2026
TSLA Options Flow Shows $264M Net Bearish Premium After Earnings Miss
TSLA institutional options flow turned heavily bearish with $264M net selling premium. Put activity dominates near current levels following the Q2 earnings…
macro Friday, July 24, 2026
BofA's Hartnett: A Panicking Fed Is What the Bond Market Needs
Michael Hartnett argues that visible Fed resolve, even a rate hike, could be the catalyst to stabilize 10- and 30-year Treasuries trading near cycle highs.
equities GNRC Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Ariel Small Cap Value Concentrated Posts 12.9% Q2 Return, Lags Russell 2000 Value by 4 Points
Ariel's concentrated small cap strategy returned 12.94% gross in Q2 2026 but trailed the Russell 2000 Value Index's 17.19% gain. Data center demand lifted…
options Monday, July 20, 2026
Options Flow vs News: When the Tape Tells You Before the Headlines
Options flow frequently signals moves before news breaks. Here's how to read the tape, spot informed positioning, and avoid the traps that catch reactive…
whale-flow MU Monday, July 20, 2026
MU Options Flow Turns Defensive: $52.9M Net Bearish Premium Today
Institutional options flow in MU skews heavily bearish with $52.9M net put premium. Near-term expiries dominate the put activity.
news Monday, July 20, 2026
Stock Futures Higher as Mega-Cap Earnings Week Kicks Off
Futures edge up Monday with tech earnings in focus. Alphabet, Tesla and Intel report this week amid geopolitical tensions and a recent rotation out of…
whale-flow META Friday, July 10, 2026
META Sees $77.7M in Bullish Options Flow With August Calls in Focus
Institutional traders pushed $77.7M net bullish premium into META today, with the heaviest action clustered in August calls ahead of the July 29 earnings…
macro Friday, July 10, 2026
Hormuz Tanker Traffic Slows Again as US, Iran Trade Strikes
Tanker crossings through Hormuz dropped to 13 per day this week, down from 33, after Iran attacked three ships and the US retaliated with airstrikes.
whale-flow TSLA Monday, July 6, 2026
TSLA Net Options Flow Turns Sharply Negative Despite Q2 Delivery Beat
Tesla options flow flipped to $157M net bearish today. Put clusters at $395 and $390 suggest hedging ahead of July 22 earnings despite strong Q2 deliveries.
whale-flow SNDK Friday, July 3, 2026
SNDK Options Flow Turns Net Bearish Despite Street Price Targets Rising
Institutional options flow in SNDK printed $184M net bearish today. Put activity concentrates near $1,640 while call flow clusters at strikes far above spot.
macro Wednesday, July 1, 2026
The Yield Curve: What It Gets Right, What It Misses, and Why Timing Is Everything
The yield curve has predicted every recession since 1970. It has also stayed inverted for years before trouble arrived. Here is what the signal actually…
whale-flow AMD Wednesday, July 1, 2026
AMD Draws $79M in Bullish Options Premium Ahead of Advancing AI Event
Options flow in AMD skews heavily bullish today with $79.3M net premium. Call activity clusters around July expiries as traders position ahead of the July…
general Monday, June 29, 2026
The VIX: What It Actually Measures and How to Use It
The VIX measures expected S&P 500 volatility over 30 days, not fear. Here's what it actually tells you and how traders use it.
whale-flow NVDA Wednesday, June 24, 2026
NVDA Options Flow Flashes $103.8M Bearish Tilt as Puts Cluster at Nearby Strikes
NVDA net premium came in at negative $103.8M today as repeated put prints target strikes near current price. The positioning suggests hedging more than…
equities SPX Wednesday, June 24, 2026
S&P 500 at 7,473: Why 7,795 Remains a Reasonable Year-End Target
With the S&P 500 near 7,473, the 7,795 target implies 4.3% upside. Multiples are elevated but AI earnings are supporting the premium.
whale-flow PLTR Friday, June 19, 2026
PLTR Options Flow Shows $155M Bearish Tilt Amid 26% Drawdown
PLTR saw $155.7M in net bearish premium today despite visible call accumulation. The disconnect between headline flow and delta may signal hedging, not…
macro Friday, June 19, 2026
Canada Retail Sales Rise 0.5% in April, But Volumes Tell a Different Story
Canadian retail sales climbed 0.5% in April on higher gas prices, but volume data suggests consumers are trimming budgets as energy costs bite.
whale-flow SNDK Wednesday, June 17, 2026
SNDK Sees $71M in Bearish Options Flow as Puts Stack Up
SanDisk drew $71.2M in net bearish options premium today, with January 2027 $1650 puts absorbing nearly $6M across repeated fills. Flow reads like…
options Monday, June 15, 2026
IV Rank vs IV Percentile: Reading Implied Volatility the Right Way
IV Rank and IV Percentile both measure where implied volatility sits relative to history, but they answer different questions. Here's when to use each.
macro SPY Monday, June 15, 2026
Ed Yardeni Says He Hasn't Been Bullish Enough on Stocks
Ed Yardeni, Wall Street's most bullish strategist, admits he underestimated the rally and now forecasts S&P 500 at 8,250 by year end.
options Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Call Walls and Put Walls: How Options Strikes Become Support and Resistance
Options dealers hedging large open interest positions create mechanical support and resistance. Here's how call walls cap rallies and put walls cushion…
whale-flow TSLA Wednesday, June 10, 2026
TSLA Put Flow Surges as Net Premium Hits -$64M
Tesla's options market prints net bearish with $64.3M in negative premium impact, driven by concentrated put buying across the $390-$455 strike range.
ai Friday, June 5, 2026
Why AI Trading Backtests Fail When Money Gets Real
AI trading systems that crush backtests often collapse live. Here's why the gap exists and how serious quants address it.
whale-flow SNDK Tuesday, June 2, 2026
SNDK Sees $126M Net Bullish Premium as Calls Cluster Near ATH
Sandisk drew $126M in net bullish premium today with call activity concentrated around the $1770-$1820 zone. Long-dated put buying hints at portfolio…
macro Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Beijing Lets Independent Refiners Cut Output as Inventories Cushion Hormuz Shock
China's NDRC authorized some money-losing independent refiners to reduce June throughput, betting strategic stockpiles and falling domestic demand can…
tech Monday, June 1, 2026
The AI Capex Cycle: Who Benefits and What Breaks It
The AI capex cycle is funneling hundreds of billions into chips, servers, and power. Here's how the money flows and what could stop it.
whale-flow ASTS Monday, June 1, 2026
ASTS Options Flow Shows $55M Net Bearish Tilt Despite Call Clusters
ASTS logged $55.2M net bearish options premium today, with call clusters at the $110-$120 strikes showing descending fill patterns that suggest selling…
macro SPY Monday, June 1, 2026
S&P 500 At 7,580 On The Same Headlines: Dealer Mechanics Explain The Drift
The S&P 500 closed May at 7,580.06, a new record, even as Fed hike expectations pushed out and GDP estimates fell. Positioning and flow mechanics help…
macro JPM Sunday, May 31, 2026
Jamie Dimon Calls for American Industrial Buildout, Backs Warsh's Fed Critique
Dimon advocates stockpiling rare earths over bitcoin, endorses Warsh's view that the Fed overstepped, and says the U.S. must rebuild its industrial base.
macro Saturday, May 30, 2026
Why Britain's Bond Market Is Sounding the Alarm
UK gilt yields hit multi-decade highs after local election losses for Labour raised questions about fiscal discipline and PM Starmer's future.
whale-flow MSFT Friday, May 29, 2026
MSFT Pulls $74.9M Bullish Premium as Traders Stack Calls Into Summer
Microsoft options flow nets $74.9M bullish premium today, driven by repeated call activity at near-term strikes and longer-dated positioning out to 2027.
whale-flow AMD Thursday, May 28, 2026
AMD Options Flow: $83M in Bearish Premium vs. Scattered Call Buying
AMD's options flow turned negative Thursday with $83M in bearish premium impact. Put positioning below $500 contrasts with small call accumulation near term.
whale-flow MU Wednesday, May 27, 2026
MU Sees $235M Bullish Net Premium Amid LEAPS Call Accumulation
Micron options flow prints $234.9M bullish net premium. LEAPS calls at $1550 and $1600 strikes see accumulation ahead of late June earnings.
ai Tuesday, May 26, 2026
AI Options Trading: How Algorithms Read Flow, GEX, and Dealer Positioning
How AI systems parse options flow, gamma exposure, and dealer hedging to generate trading signals. A breakdown of the mechanics, limits, and edge cases.
whale-flow GOOGL Tuesday, May 26, 2026
GOOGL Puts Draw $36M Net Premium as Institutions Lean Defensive
Institutional options flow in GOOGL turned bearish with $36.4M net premium to puts. A $1.06M January 2027 put leads the tape alongside scattered call hedges.
macro Tuesday, May 26, 2026
UK Gilt Yields Retreat to Five-Week Lows as Political Turmoil Fades
UK 10-year gilt yields dropped roughly 30 basis points from recent highs as Labour's leadership crisis stabilized and soft economic data cut into rate hike…