The Options Insider

The Hot Options Report: 01-29-26

by | Jan 29, 2026 | Hot Options Report

Episode Summary

Earnings season is in full swing, and the options tape is absolutely on fire. Host Mark Longo breaks down a massive day of paper, where it took over 671,000 contracts just to crack the Top 10. From Meta’s massive post-earnings “lottery ticket” winners to Microsoft’s tumble into the “dark side,” we examine the strikes and flows defining the market on this action-packed Thursday. Plus, a look at Apple’s after-hours movement following its Q1 revenue beat and why Tesla is back in the #1 spot despite a rough day for shareholders.

Inside the Hot Options Tape

  • Tesla (TSLA): Reclaims the #1 spot with 2.79M contracts. We dive into the $420 puts as the stock slips nearly 3.5% post-earnings.

  • Nvidia (NVDA): A rare drop to #2 despite 2.54M contracts. Is the $192.50 call paper looking for a Friday payday?

  • Microsoft (MSFT): The “dark side” prevails after earnings, with a 10% sell-off. We track a massive 100,000-lot butterfly spread targeting December.

  • Meta (META): A spectacular win for the bulls. Those $700 “lottery ticket” calls paid off big as the stock surged toward $740.

  • Apple (AAPL): Breaking down the $260 calls as the stock trends higher in the after-hours following a $143.8B revenue report.

  • Palantir (PLTR): Returning to levels not seen since last summer. Are the $150 puts signaling more pain ahead?

  • MicroStrategy (MSTR): Taking it on the chin with a 10% drop. Was the $167.50 call flow a brave rebound play or just lighting money on fire?

Market Breakdown by the Numbers

Rank Symbol Volume The “Hot” Option Price/Context
1 TSLA 2.79M $420 Puts Nearly 100k contracts; price ~$4.93
2 NVDA 2.54M $192.50 Calls 211k contracts; eyes on tomorrow’s close
3 MSFT 2.34M $575 Calls Part of a massive Dec. butterfly spread
4 META 1.42M $750.50 Calls Bulls sweating as stock hits $744 high
5 PLTR 1.14M $150 Puts 53k contracts; stock hit low of $147.12

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