Ares Weakness Signals Emerge in Monday Options Market: Tracking Put Activity in UPS, TTD, ARES

Monday’s session delivered notable activity in S&P 500 options markets, with three major companies drawing significant attention from derivatives traders. What stands out is the pronounced put option activity in ares weakness positioning, suggesting investors are hedging against downside risk in select names while showing mixed sentiment across the broader equity complex.

UPS Call Option Surge Points to Bullish Positioning

United Parcel Service Inc (UPS) dominated options trading volume Monday, with 34,662 contracts representing approximately 3.5 million underlying shares. This level of trading accounted for roughly 76.6% of UPS’s monthly average daily volume of 4.5 million shares—a meaningful but not extreme concentration. The most active contract focused on the $110 strike call expiring February 20, 2026, which saw 6,488 contracts trade, translating to approximately 648,800 underlying shares. The elevated call activity suggests institutional buyers are establishing bullish positions in the logistics giant, betting on upside moves ahead of the near-term expiration.

TTD Put Spike Suggests Cautious Investor Sentiment

The Trade Desk Inc (TTD) registered substantial options volume of 67,255 contracts, representing roughly 6.7 million underlying shares or approximately 68.2% of its average daily volume at 9.9 million shares. Unlike the bullish tone in UPS, TTD’s options action centered on protective puts. The $30 strike put expiring February 20, 2026 generated the highest activity with 3,028 contracts, representing approximately 302,800 underlying shares. This put-skewed activity pattern typically reflects investor concerns about near-term weakness or consolidation, with traders locking in downside protection.

Ares Management’s Put Activity Reflects Market Weakness

Ares Management Corp (ARES) options trading reached 10,999 contracts, representing approximately 1.1 million underlying shares—a substantial 67% of its average daily volume of 1.6 million shares. The concentration in put options further underscores ares weakness signals, with the $140 strike put expiring January 15, 2027 recording the heaviest activity at 3,069 contracts or approximately 306,900 underlying shares. The prevalence of put buying in ARES suggests investors anticipate either consolidation or downward pressure, positioning defensively for a potentially extended period given the longer expiration date chosen.

What This Options Activity Reveals

The divergence in Monday’s options market tells an interesting story: UPS positioning leans bullish with call concentration, while both TTD and particularly ARES display defensive put hedging that indicates ares weakness concerns and broader caution among sophisticated traders. Put option volume typically exceeds call activity when institutional investors sense vulnerability, making ARES’s pattern particularly noteworthy as a potential leading indicator for performance headwinds ahead.