NIFTY Bank

NSE: BANKNIFTYLot size: 15Weekly Wednesday expiry

NIFTY Bank Max Pain Today

₹57239.75Updated 19 Aug 2026, 03:30 pm IST
Max Pain Strike
57,500Writers' least-loss point
Spot vs Max Pain
−0.45%Spot 57,240
Max Pain Shift
−100vs yesterday
Days to Expiry
62026-08-25
2nd Lowest Pain Strike
57,600100 points from max pain

What is BANKNIFTY Max Pain?

Max Pain theory states NIFTY Bank gravitates toward the strike where option writers face minimum collective loss at expiry. Today that strike is 57,500. Spot at 57,240 is near max pain — expiry magnetic pull is active.

AI AnalysisGenerated daily after market close · AI-powered

Max Pain Level

The current max‑pain strike for BANKNIFTY is ₹57,500. This level represents the price at which option writers—in particular those who are short both calls and puts—would experience the smallest aggregate loss, acting as a magnet that often draws the index toward it as expiry approaches.

Spot vs Max Pain Gap

The spot index sits at ₹57,239.75, 0.45 % below the max‑pain level, indicating a modest upside bias. With the index slightly under the magnet, any upward pull‑back in the next few days would tend to close the gap and align the spot with the pain point.

Shift Signal

The max‑pain figure has moved down ₹100 from yesterday, signaling a downward‑biased repositioning by option writers. This shift suggests that writers have re‑balanced their exposure, likely by reducing short call positions and/or adding short puts to keep the aggregate loss minimized near the new level.

Expiry Context

Max pain is derived from the total open interest in calls and puts; as expiry draws near, the market often drifts toward the strike that minimizes writer payouts. In the final week of an options series, it is common to see heightened price pressure as traders unwind positions, yet the outcome remains probabilistic—not a certainty.

Data Note

The spot is ₹260.25 below the max‑pain strike with six trading days remaining until expiry.

Data as of 2026-08-19

Frequently Asked Questions

What is NIFTY Bank max pain today?
NIFTY Bank's max pain strike is ₹57,500 for the 2026-08-25 expiry (6 days away). Spot is 0.5% below max pain.
How is max pain calculated for NIFTY Bank?
NIFTY Bank's max pain is calculated by taking every possible expiry price and computing the total ITM payout to all option buyers: sum of (CE OI × max(0, spot − strike)) + (PE OI × max(0, strike − spot)) for all strikes. The strike with the minimum total payout is the max pain — where option writers collectively lose the least.
Does max pain predict NIFTY Bank expiry price?
Max pain theory suggests the underlying tends to gravitate toward the max pain strike as expiry approaches, because option writers (who have the capital and hedging ability) can influence spot price. It's more reliable within 1 week of expiry and for liquid stocks like NIFTY Bank. It should be used with other signals, not in isolation.
What happened to NIFTY Bank max pain since yesterday?
NIFTY Bank's max pain shifted down by ₹100 from the previous session. Max pain shifts indicate that option writers are adjusting their positions — a rising max pain is modestly bullish; falling is modestly bearish.
What is the next expiry for NIFTY Bank options?
NIFTY Bank's next options expiry is on 2026-08-25 — 6 days away. NSE F&O stocks have monthly expiry on the last Tuesday of each month. As expiry approaches, gamma risk increases and max pain becomes a stronger gravitational force.