MEOH max pain for the Oct 16, 2026 expiry was $55 as of the Fri Oct 2 options chain.
What the institutional money is doing on MEOH right now — dark pool, options positioning, and where the news and the money disagree. Free.
News frames a sector comparison with no new conviction; options show call-heavy positioning but no fresh large bets and subdued off-exchange volume, leaving the bullish lean unconfirmed by institutional size.
News raises a value-investing question with no sentiment; money shows call-heavy retail flow but no new institutional option positions and weak dark-pool engagement, suggesting retail interest without smart-money confirmation.
News announces a $300 million debt action; options remain call-heavy but show no new large positioning and dark-pool volume sits well below normal, indicating the market has not yet priced in fresh institutional reaction.
News reports a large fund's big position build; options lean call-heavy and show no squeeze stress, but lack of fresh option open interest and subdued off-exchange volume suggest the fund move has not yet triggered broad institutional hedging or follow-on option positioning.
News frames a cautious hold with mixed drivers; money shows call-heavy positioning and low squeeze pressure, but no new large option bets and weak dark-pool engagement leave the bullish lean unconfirmed by institutional conviction.
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.
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).
