Summary: A nightly screen of 512 option underlyings ranked every implied volatility reading against its own past year. Twenty-one names sat well away from their own normal at Friday’s close, and the two ranking columns disagreed about four of them.
A reading near the top of a name’s own range says nothing about whether the move it is pricing will arrive.
An implied volatility figure on its own says little about whether an option is dear. A biotech quoting 60 percent may be cheap against its own record, while a utility quoting 20 percent sits at the top of everything it has printed in a year. The only way to judge a level is against the instrument’s own history, which is what IV rank and IV percentile each attempt in a different way.
The nightly screen covering 185 US and 327 euro zone optionable names produced its latest reading at the close of Friday 2 October 2026, recorded in the run of 3 October 2026. Three clusters stood out: US health care heading into late October reporting dates, euro zone names whose rank had climbed for two straight weeks, and a precious metals and digital assets complex sitting near the bottom of its own range despite high absolute volatility. (Source: Saxo OpenAPI, close of 2 October 2026, recorded 3 October 2026. Past performance is not indicative of future results; figures are illustrative and not predictive.)
Important note: The strategies and examples provided in this article are purely for educational purposes. They are intended to assist in shaping your thought process and should not be replicated or implemented without careful consideration. Every investor or trader must conduct their own due diligence and take into account their unique financial situation, risk tolerance, and investment objectives before making any decisions. Remember, investing in the stock market carries risk, and it’s crucial to make informed decisions.