Unusual Options Activity (UOA)

Unusual Options Activity (UOA) is when options—contracts that give you the right to buy or sell a stock at a set price—trade in much larger volumes or at prices that don't match historical patterns. You'll see traders discussing UOA on research sites and social media because it often signals that someone with insider knowledge or a big bet is making a move. When volume spikes or prices shift dramatically, it can hint that institutional investors or informed traders expect a stock to move soon. For example, if call options (contracts betting a stock will rise) suddenly trade 10x their normal volume, that's UOA worth noticing. It's not a guarantee, but it's a clue worth investigating.