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Option Snapshot Chart: Strike-wise OHLC and OI

The option chain gives you the current state of every strike. The Option Snapshot gives you the story. It plots an OHLC price chart with an open interest overlay for each strike of an expiry, calls and puts side by side, so you can compare how the premiums and positioning across the chain moved through the session at a glance.

The problem it solves​

Comparing strikes on the option chain means scrolling and mentally tracking which one is gaining OI or moving fastest. You cannot see the intraday shape of a strike, and switching between an OI view and a price view for each one is slow. The Option Snapshot lays every strike out as a chart, so which strikes are being defended, which are trending and which are being abandoned is visible at once.

What each chart shows​

  • OHLC candles of the option's premium through the session.
  • An open interest overlay so you see how OI built or unwound as the premium moved.
  • Colour cues to separate call and put activity.
  • Hover detail for the exact OI change and price at any point.

Key terms explained​

TermWhat it means
OHLCOpen, high, low, close: the four prices that form a candle.
OI overlayThe open interest line drawn on top of the premium chart.
Strike countHow many strikes per side are shown, which you set.
Defended strikeOI rising as the premium falls: writers are selling it.
Attacked strikeOI falling as the premium rises: writers are covering.

A worked example​

NIFTY is at 22,050, weekly expiry in two days. You open the Option Snapshot with 7 strikes per side.

  • 22,100 CE: premium candles trending down all morning, OI overlay rising steadily. Writers are defending 22,100.
  • 22,000 PE: premium flat, OI large and stable. Solid support.
  • 22,200 CE: premium spiked at 11:00 then faded, OI overlay dropped during the spike. That was short covering, and it did not hold.

The read: resistance is firmly at 22,100, support at 22,000, and the brief 22,200 test was a squeeze, not a breakout. A trader wanting a short-premium expiry trade sells the 22,000 to 22,100 strangle, backed by what the strike charts show.

How to use it in Stolo​

Option Snapshot in Stolo
  1. Open Analysis, then Options, then Option Snapshot Chart.
  2. Choose the instrument and the expiry.
  3. Set the number of strikes per side, 5 to 15.
  4. Scan the CE and PE charts together: which strikes are trending, which are being defended, which had squeezes.
  5. Hover any chart for the OI change and premium at that point.
  6. Load a past date to study how a set of strikes behaved into a previous expiry.
tip

Use the Snapshot to pick your strike. Rather than defaulting to ATM, choose the strike whose chart best matches your directional and risk view.

How traders use it​

  • Strike selection. Compare the intraday behaviour of every candidate strike before entering.
  • Defence check. Confirm a resistance or support strike by seeing OI build as its premium falls.
  • Squeeze spotting. A premium spike on falling OI is covering, not a real break.
  • Post-trade monitoring. Keep your strike's chart open to watch OI and premium while the position runs.

Live mode and history mode​

Live mode streams the strike charts through the session. History mode rebuilds them for a past expiry and date, so you can study how the chain behaved into a previous settlement.

Frequently asked questions​

What does the Option Snapshot chart show?
It shows an OHLC price chart with an open interest overlay for each strike of a selected expiry, for both calls and puts. Instead of reading numbers off the option chain, you see how each strike's premium and OI moved through the session as a chart.
How is it different from the option chain?
The option chain is a live table: current values, one row per strike. The Option Snapshot turns each strike into an intraday chart, so you see the path, not just the latest number. Use the chain to scan current state, the Snapshot to study how a strike behaved.
How many strikes can I view at once?
You choose the count, typically 5 to 15 per side around the money. More strikes give a wider picture; fewer keep the charts large and readable. Start with 5 and widen if you need context further from the money.
What does the OI overlay on each chart tell me?
It shows how open interest at that strike built or unwound while the premium moved. A strike where OI rose steadily as the premium fell is being written into, so it is being defended. A strike where OI fell as the premium spiked is short covering.
Can I use the Option Snapshot for stocks?
Yes, for any F&O instrument. It is most useful on liquid chains such as NIFTY and BANKNIFTY where every strike has enough activity to form a meaningful chart.
Does the Option Snapshot update live?
Yes. The charts refresh with live market data through the session, and hovering any chart shows the OI change and price at that point.
Can I load a past session?
Yes. Pick a past date and Stolo rebuilds the strike charts for that expiry and session, which is useful for studying how a set of strikes behaved into a previous expiry.
How does this help me pick a strike to trade?
Seeing all the strike charts side by side shows you which strike has the cleanest trend, which is being defended by writers, and which has the liquidity. You pick the strike whose chart matches your view rather than defaulting to ATM.
What is OHLC?
OHLC is open, high, low and close: the four prices that define a candle for a period. On the Option Snapshot each strike's premium is plotted as OHLC candles so you can read its intraday range and direction the same way you read a stock chart.
Which plan includes the Option Snapshot chart?
It is part of Stolo's paid analysis access and can be tried on the Trial plan, which starts at 499 rupees. See the subscription plans page for the current tiers.

See every strike as a chart, not a row

Open Stolo's Option Snapshot to compare CE and PE OHLC with open interest across the strikes of any F&O expiry.

Start with the Trial Plan at just ₹499
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