The Hot Options Report: 09-18-2025

In this episode, Mark covers the key movements in the options market for Thursday, September 18th, following the Fed's market intervention. Notably, VIX activity tallies at three-quarters of a million contracts, while SPY options explode with 13.1 million contracts due to dividend impact. SPX options also see significant action with 4.5 million contracts, while QQQ and single names like Amazon, Apple, MicroStrategy, and Palantir exhibit heightened activity. The top spot for daily activity is claimed by Intel, putting up a record-breaking 3.15 million contracts following Nvidia's $5 billion investment, resulting in a substantial stock price rally.    00:26 Welcome to the Hot Options Report 00:54 Public: Cost-Effective Options Trading 01:28 Today's Market Overview 02:03 Volatility in VIX 03:21 SPY's Explosive Activity 04:12 SPX and QQQ Highlights 05:31 Single Name Stocks: Amazon, Apple, and More 12:36 Top Performers: Nvidia and Intel 16:24 Conclusion   ----------------------------------------------------------------------- All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Open to the Public Investing Inc, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors.  Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before considering any options strategy.  Options investors can rapidly lose the value of their investment in a short period of time and incur permanent loss by expiration date. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount, and are only available for qualified customers.  Index options have special features and fees that should be carefully considered, including settlement, exercise, expiration, tax, and cost characteristics.  See Fee Schedule for all options trading fees. There are additional costs associated with option strategies that call for multiple purchases and sales of options, such as spreads, straddles, among others, as compared with a single option trade. Rebate rates vary monthly from $0.06-$0.18 and depend on the particular security, whether the trade was placed via API, as well as your current and prior month's options trading volume. Review Options Rebate Terms here. Rates are subject to change. Go to public.com/optionsbrief to learn more.