Breakdown on Flow Feed Preset Filters
The Unusual Whales flow feed comes with several preset flow filters to help you get started. All preset filters across the site are designed to help you identify opening flows, which are those that are either BTO or STO. There is no secret sauce to any of the values chosen so feel free to tweak any of the settings to better suit your needs.
As previously stated all filters are looking for opening flow. By honing in on ASK side activity we can attempt to identify long positions being opened (BTO activity).
Stocks + ADRs (index and ETFs hidden)
Minimum $10,000+ trade value
Single leg trades
Contract characteristics:
- at least 50% of all volume must be at or closer to the ASK
- VOL > OI (minimum 500 volume, maximum 5000 OI)
- OTM only
- max fill price $25.00
The BID FLOW filter is identical to the ASK FLOW filter, but instead filters for BID side activity in an attempt to identify short positions (writes) being opened (STO activity).
BIG TRADES - ASK operates very similarly to the ASK FLOW filter, but with an emphasis on identifying bigger long positions (BTO).
Minimum $50,000+ trade value
Minimum 500 size
Single leg trades
BIG TRADES - BID operates exactly the same as BIG TRADES - ASK, but switches the focus from long positions to writes (STO).
BIG MULTILEGGERS takes the BIG TRADES - ASK filter and replaces the ‘single leg only’ requirement with ‘multileg only’. You may be able to identify large options spreads, rolls, complex positions, buy/writes, and more.
You can read more about the different ways options contracts can transact, and a full breakdown of bid/ask/opening/closing flow in this article.