Stock Markets May 8, 2026 02:36 PM

Options Activity in Cisco Surpasses 100,000 Contracts by Midday Friday

Call contracts dominate the session as several near-term and longer-dated calls see heavy volume and notable open interest

By Marcus Reed CSCO

By 2:30 p.m. New York time on Friday, options trading in Cisco Systems Inc. reached 101,940 contracts. Call activity accounted for the bulk of the flow with 82,501 contracts, while puts totaled 19,439 contracts. Multiple call strikes across May 2026 and a January 2027 contract registered the largest executed volumes and varied open interest levels.

Options Activity in Cisco Surpasses 100,000 Contracts by Midday Friday
CSCO

Key Points

  • Total options volume in Cisco (CSCO) reached 101,940 contracts by 2:30 p.m. New York time on Friday, with calls representing 82,501 contracts and puts 19,439 contracts.
  • Several near-term May 2026 call strikes were among the most actively traded, with the May 15, 2026 $100 call leading at 5,421 contracts and an open interest of 7,072.
  • Sectors likely affected by the surge in activity include technology (Cisco's sector) and financial markets focused on derivatives and options trading.

Trading in options on Cisco Systems Inc. reached 101,940 contracts by 2:30 p.m. New York time on Friday, based on exchange data. Calls dominated the session, with 82,501 contracts traded, while put activity amounted to 19,439 contracts.

Among individual contracts, the May 15, 2026 $100 call was the busiest, registering 5,421 contracts traded and carrying an open interest of 7,072 contracts. Close behind, the May 15, 2026 $99 call recorded 4,817 contracts traded and showed an open interest of 42 contracts.

Other active options included the May 8, 2026 $96 call, which saw 4,640 contracts trade against an open interest of 4,759 contracts. The May 15, 2026 $95 call accounted for 4,060 contracts traded and had a larger open interest of 15,139 contracts. Longer-dated activity was also present: the January 15, 2027 $140 call logged 2,142 contracts traded with an open interest of 14 contracts.

These volumes reflect concentrated interest in several call strikes spanning early May 2026 expirations and at least one January 2027 expiration. The distribution of open interest across strikes ranges from very modest levels - such as 14 and 42 contracts - to more substantial positions like 15,139 and 7,072 contracts.

Below is a concise breakdown of the most active contracts mentioned:

  • May 15, 2026 - $100 call: 5,421 contracts traded; open interest 7,072
  • May 15, 2026 - $99 call: 4,817 contracts traded; open interest 42
  • May 8, 2026 - $96 call: 4,640 contracts traded; open interest 4,759
  • May 15, 2026 - $95 call: 4,060 contracts traded; open interest 15,139
  • Jan 15, 2027 - $140 call: 2,142 contracts traded; open interest 14

The session's data show a strong skew toward call buying or call activity relative to puts in absolute contract counts. Open interest figures vary considerably by strike, indicating differing concentrations of outstanding positions across the option chain.

No additional context about underlying stock moves, trader intent, or clearing counterparties is provided in the available data. The figures reported here are limited to the exchange-reported volumes and open interest levels for the specified contracts and expirations.

Risks

  • Volume and open interest figures alone do not indicate trader intent or the direction of bets, creating uncertainty for market participants interpreting the flow - affecting traders and derivatives desks.
  • Concentration of open interest at particular strikes leaves valuations sensitive to changes in implied volatility or underlying stock moves, which can impact market makers and options liquidity providers.
  • Limited disclosure in the exchange data means there is uncertainty about whether activity represents directional bets, hedging, or complex strategies, which can complicate risk assessments for investors and counterparties.

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