Options Volatility Highlights Implied Earnings Moves for Major Tech and Retail Stocks

Market participants are bracing for significant price swings in equities as Agilent, Nvidia, and CrowdStrike lead a packed earnings calendar. Implied volatility data suggests double-digit moves for Kohl's (+/-16.72%) and Pure Storage (+/-13.93%), reflecting heightened options activity ahead of these binary events.

The tech sector takes center stage with Nvidia's anticipated +/-6.50% earnings move drawing particular attention. Analysts note that cloud-related names like Snowflake (+/-11.53%) and Nutanix (+/-12.83%) are seeing elevated volatility premiums, mirroring recent cryptocurrency market turbulence in correlated tech assets.

Options markets currently price more aggressive post-earnings swings for growth stocks versus financials, with Royal Bank of Canada's modest +/-4.07% expected MOVE underscoring this divergence. The volatility skew appears particularly pronounced for cybersecurity plays CrowdStrike and Veeva Systems, where put volumes have surged ahead of results.