Market watch: What does the Futures and Options market suggest about trade on April 19?

The Nifty 50 put call ratio (PCR) closed at 0.47 for the day.

The fourth-quarter earnings of India Inc started on a weak note and that is getting reflected in the movement of equity indices in today’s trade. Frontline indices took the losing run to a fourth consecutive day as IT major Infosys and HDFC Bank both posted quarterly earnings that missed street estimates. 

After a long weekend, Nifty 50 opened at 17183.45 against the previous close of 17475.65. It never recovered from its earlier losses and continued to fall. The benchmark index closed with a loss of 302.0 points or 1.73 per cent at 17173.65. Nifty VIX gained by 8.71 per cent in today’s trade. It opened at 17.785 and closed at 19.335. 

Activity on the F&O front for weekly expiry on April 21 shows the highest call open interest contract of 148867 stood at 18000 strike price. The second-highest call option open interest 114118 for Nifty 50 stood at a strike price of 17500. In terms of the highest addition of open interest in the call options front, it was at 17400 in the last trading session. A total of 105317 open interest was added at this strike price.

In terms of put activity, the highest put writing was seen at a strike price of 16500, where 32275 open interest was added today, followed by 17200 strike price where (32077) open interest was added. Highest total put open interest (70188) stood at a strike price of 17000. This is followed by a strike price of 16500, which saw a total put option open interest of 67791 contracts. 

The Nifty 50 put call ratio (PCR) closed at 0.47 for the day. A PCR above 1 is considered bullish while a PCR below 1 is considered bearish. 

Max pain at the end of today's trade for weekly expiry on April 21 stands at 17200. 

Top five call and put open interest with their strike price