10 Hot Stocks to Watch — Thursday, September 17, 2026

Occidental Petroleum tumbled Wednesday alongside crude oil weakness, despite posting strong Q2 earnings that had positioned the driller as a sector standout. The selloff dragged the stock to $59.36, marking a sharp reversal from recent momentum. Yet options markets are painting a contrarian picture: call-to-put ratio of 6.52 reflects aggressive bullish positioning, with heavy institutional call buying concentrated in $61–$64 strikes expiring September 2025–2026. Watch $61 as near-term support.

Robinhood tumbled 5.46% after federal prosecutors charged two former engineers over undisclosed crypto trades, adding to sector-wide pressure following the Clarity Act's failed Senate vote. Yet options traders are painting a bullish picture: call-to-put ratio sits at 3.06 with heavy positioning in out-of-the-money $110–$120 calls expiring September 2026, suggesting conviction in a recovery toward the $115–$120 band. Watch $105 support and the September 2026 $110 call as key technical levels.

Marathon Digital surged 4.81% today despite JPMorgan's double downgrade to Underweight over its pivot from mining to data centers—a strategic shift that has drawn skepticism on the Street. The $100M bitcoin acquisition signals aggressive balance-sheet positioning, yet regulatory uncertainty around the Clarity Act and mixed guidance on AI infrastructure expansion are fueling volatility. Options traders are constructive: a 1.67 call-to-put ratio and heavy call volume at $11.50–$12.00 strikes (9/18 expiry) suggest near-term upside bets, though puts at $10.50–$11.00 show real downside hedging. Watch the $12.00 level and Fed decision timing.

Coinbase tumbled 4.42% to $164.51 after the Senate blocked the CLARITY Act, eliminating hopes for clearer crypto regulation. CEO Brian Armstrong vowed to push forward despite the legislative setback, but uncertainty weighs on the sector. Options markets show defensive positioning, with heavy put volume clustered at $160–$170 strikes through September 2026, while call interest languishes. Watch the $160 support level; a breach could trigger further downside.

Intel jumped 4.03% to $101.05 after Reuters reported potential memory-chip manufacturing negotiations with SK Hynix, a strategic move to monetize its costly Ohio foundry network. Options markets are pricing aggressive upside, with call volume surging 3:1 over puts and heavy concentration in $105–$110 strikes expiring Friday. Analysts have lifted price targets citing AI and data-center tailwinds, though the Fed's rate hike to 3.75% and hawkish September guidance temper near-term euphoria. Watch the $105 level; a break above signals conviction; a close below $101 risks a pullback.

Goldman Sachs dropped 3.96% after CEO David Solomon warned of softer fixed-income trading and elevated expenses in Q3, pressuring near-term earnings. Yet options flow tells a different story: bullish call volume has surged with a 28.44 call-to-put ratio, with 1,800+ contracts stacked at the $790 and $840 strikes expiring September 18. Heavy positioning above $990 suggests institutional conviction in a bounce, betting Solomon's $70B revenue expansion thesis offsets current headwinds.

ExxonMobil fell 3.54% to $163.32 today, reversing momentum from its recent rally despite positive operational catalysts including active negotiations to re-enter Venezuela and expanded Guyana production targeting 5.5 MMBoe/d by 2030. Options markets remain decidedly bullish, with call-to-put ratio of 5.05 and heavy positioning in 2026-dated $120 and $105 calls, signaling confidence in a rebound toward prior $169 levels. Watch the $170 strike across September expirations as near-term resistance.

Super Micro Computer climbed 3.4% to $36.85 today, extending gains as the AI server maker trades at a valuation discount despite Wall Street's outsized revenue forecasts. Options flow flashed decidedly bullish signals, with call-to-put ratio of 2.14 and heavy concentration in $37 and $39 strike calls expiring September 2026, suggesting institutional confidence in a sustained move higher. Watch the $39 level as the next technical hurdle; a break above would target the stock's 52-week high of $58.78, though elevated beta of 2.2 amplifies both upside and downside swings.

NIO shares climbed 3.07% to $3.69 as the EV maker doubled down on European expansion while shifting to a leaner distributor model, offsetting Onvo launch delays to 2028–2029. Q2 results showed narrowing losses and strong deliveries, positioning the stock above its 52-week low of $3.57. Options traders are aggressively bullish, with a 4.75 call-to-put ratio and 2,140 contracts in $3.50 calls expiring tomorrow, suggesting conviction in a near-term hold above support. Watch $4.00 for resistance through late September.

Chevron fell 2.86% to $211.54 today, weighed by LNG supply-contract headwinds, but options flow suggests conviction in a rebound. Heavy call buying—with a 2.37 call-to-put ratio—is concentrated in 2026 contracts at $215 and $220 strikes, signaling traders expect the energy giant to shake off near-term pressure. The real catalyst remains its $7 billion Venezuela investment and Microsoft power deal, which management frames as transformative drivers independent of crude prices. Watch for a test of the $217.40 52-week high within Q1.