Options trading in Centene Corp. accelerated through the afternoon, with exchange records showing 17,245 contracts traded by 2:50 p.m. New York time today, according to exchange data compiled by Bloomberg.
Put contracts comprised the majority of activity, with 12,628 puts changing hands versus 4,617 calls. The most active single strike was the $65 put that expires today; that option saw 9,357 contracts traded and had reported open interest of 2,004 contracts.
Alongside the same-day activity, traders also targeted a longer-dated put: the June 18, 2026 $64 put registered 4,075 contracts traded, against open interest of 87 contracts.
Options flow included a structured call trade as well. Market participants executed a diagonal spread totaling 540 contracts. The spread consisted of 270 June 12, 2026 $68 call contracts, which show open interest of 342 contracts, paired with 270 June 18, 2026 $70 call contracts that have open interest of 1,478 contracts.
The breakdown of volumes and the specific strikes involved indicate concentrated directional positioning in the put side today alongside a smaller, dated call spread. The activity summary below highlights the core numbers observed through the reported time.
Key session figures
- Total options contracts traded: 17,245 (as of 2:50 p.m. New York time today)
- Put volume: 12,628 contracts
- Call volume: 4,617 contracts
- Most-active single strike: $65 put expiring today - 9,357 contracts (open interest 2,004)
- Notable June 2026 put: $64 strike expiring June 18, 2026 - 4,075 contracts (open interest 87)
- Diagonal call spread: 270 June 12, 2026 $68 calls (OI 342) sold or paired with 270 June 18, 2026 $70 calls (OI 1,478) - total 540 contracts
Market context and interpretation
The intraday ledger shows a heavy skew toward put trading in Centene options during the reported session, with concentrated volume in both an expiring near-term $65 put and a June 2026 $64 put. In addition, a multi-leg diagonal call position traded in equal-sized legs across two June call expirations and adjacent strikes.
Traders and market observers tracking equity derivatives will note the volume figures and open-interest readings reported above when assessing positioning and short-term liquidity in Centene options.