Dividend activity summary for the week of October 4
Recent trading volume leaned bullish (more calls than puts), but standing positions remain defensive; no new options positioning data available to confirm conviction.
Seeking Alpha · 10/02
Undercurrent · Money-flow snapshot
A Max Pain, Dark Pool & Options Flow
A max pain for the Oct 16, 2026 expiry is $160, from the Fri Oct 2 options chain. The last price, $171.29, is 7.1% above it. Call wall $185 · put floor $140.
What the institutional money is doing on A right now — dark pool, options positioning, and where the news and the money disagree. Free.
The money right now
Dark pool share
42.8% (market avg 49%)
Dark pool volume vs its norm
0.9×
Short share of that
30.9% (norm 51%)
Price
$171.29
Max pain
$160
Oct 16 exp
Call wall
$185
Oct 16 exp
Put floor
$140
Oct 16 exp
Put/Call ratio
1.30
Squeeze pressure
8
Dark pool share: Only 31% vs a 51% norm of the off-exchange volume was short
Off-exchange prints never touch the public book, so they move size without moving the quote. That is the point of using them. Size was ordinary, but the sell side was light within it — not aggressive accumulation, yet no real selling pressure either.
Source: FINRA · Mon 10/5 close
What it means: Agilent (A) shows a defensive lean in standing positions (more puts than calls) but recent trading volume favored calls—a mixed signal. Off-exchange activity is running below normal (0.86× the 20-day average), and short selling in dark pools is well below this stock's own median, suggesting quiet accumulation rather than hedging.
News vs the money
Agilent launches NovoStation automated sample prep system for flow cytometry
Recent trading volume favored calls, but standing positions are put-heavy and no new large options positions opened—modest bullish flow without institutional conviction.
Business Wire · 10/01
⚡ DIVERGENCEDCF valuation analysis: Agilent's intrinsic value estimated at $120 versus current price of $175
The valuation warning contrasts with recent bullish call flow, but standing positions remain defensive and no new institutional positioning emerged—market pricing may not yet reflect downside concern.
GuruFocus · 09/30
Agilent hits new 52-week high at $174.77 amid steady trading
Price strength is paired with call-heavy recent volume, but standing positions remain put-heavy and off-exchange accumulation is below normal—institutional buyers are not rushing in at these levels.
Defense World · 09/30
Agilent launches Gen5 AI cell identification module for BioTek imaging systems
Recent trading volume leaned bullish on the product news, but standing positions remain defensive and no new large options positions opened—retail enthusiasm has not yet drawn institutional hedging or accumulation.
Business Wire · 09/29
See it live, free
Get Undercurrent — the news behind the money →Add A to My Watchlist in the free SIGNUM HQ app (iPhone · Android) →New to this? Why'd It Move? turns today's move into a 60-second lesson →What is a “divergence”?
A divergence is when the news narrative and the institutional money flow point in opposite directions — a bearish headline while large call premium is bought, or heavy dark-pool selling under a bullish story. It signals the crowd and the desks may disagree.
How to read these numbers
Dark-pool volume — The share of trading executed off-exchange, at wholesalers and dark pools. About half of all US share volume prints there on an ordinary day, so the level by itself says almost nothing. What carries information is the distance from this name’s own recent norm, and whether the off-exchange size ran above its usual.
Off-exchange short share — How much of that off-exchange volume was sold short. The median across all listed names is about 49%, because wholesalers filling retail buy orders sell short and cover later. A reading near half is plumbing, not a bearish vote — compare it to the same name’s own 20-day norm.
Max pain — The price where the most options expire worthless — positioning often gravitates toward it near expiry.
Call wall / Put floor — Strikes with the heaviest call/put open interest — they often act as short-term resistance and support.
Put/Call ratio — Below ~0.7 leans bullish (more calls); above ~1 leans defensive (more puts).
Nearby tickers
Today’s off-exchange leaders → · See all tickers →Today’s rankings — what broke from normal
Learn the numbers