$2.6T in S&P 500 call contracts traded – a historic one‑day peak.
Retail investors flooded the market for upside bets, forcing market makers to buy shares to hedge.
That “forced buying” nudged the index up ≈0.6 % after hours, while implied volatility spiked ~12 %.
The move benefits short‑term speculators but raises risk for anyone holding the underlying stocks.
Keep an eye on the next 24 h a rapid unwind could swing the market either way.
Retail investors flooded the market for upside bets, forcing market makers to buy shares to hedge.
That “forced buying” nudged the index up ≈0.6 % after hours, while implied volatility spiked ~12 %.
The move benefits short‑term speculators but raises risk for anyone holding the underlying stocks.
Keep an eye on the next 24 h a rapid unwind could swing the market either way.