54,000 SPY Puts in Two Trades

Monday, March 16, 2026

The options market’s biggest secret isn’t a ticker or a strike price. It’s a clock. The 4PM to 9:30AMwindow is where liquidity thins, news breaks, and massive moves form while retail traders sleep through them.

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Don here…

Someone bought 54,000 SPY put contracts in two trades today while the S&P 500 rallied 1%. Brandon Chapman caught it all in real time using Block Hunter.

The trades hit at the 660 strike with a 22 delta. One block landed at 22,000 contracts. The other came in at 32,000. Both executed at the exact same price, split across two exchanges.

That kind of size creates downside gamma pressure. When the market maker sells those puts, they have to hedge. The more the S&P 500 drifts toward that strike, the more selling pressure builds on itself.

Brandon pointed out that retail traders have stepped back from buying the dip. The Iran situation in the Persian Gulf has cooled that enthusiasm. Institutional selling and insider selling are meeting less resistance on the other side.

Oil is also in steep backwardation right now. Brandon noted that elevated crude prices will eventually squeeze profitability and could put the Fed on pause.

But SPY was just one of five massive block trades Brandon broke down tonight. He walked through each one, explained the flow, and structured a specific trade around every signal.

Here is what the block flow revealed:

  • SOFI: 31,000 put spread contracts hit in a single trade. Buyers grabbed the April 16strike and sold the 13. SoFi is sitting on its 61.8% retracement, and lending across the board is in trouble. Brandon structured a 17/15 put vertical for $0.58.
  • KHC: 13,000 call contracts bought at support. This is a defensive name where money rotates when tech sells off. Brandon built a 22.50/25 call vertical for $0.77 with a target of $24 for roughly 70% gain.
  • FXI: 10,000 put contracts bought in one trade on the China ETF. July expiration, $35 strike. Currently trading at $37. Brandon structured a 37/35 put vertical for $0.70 with a breakeven at $36.30.
  • MARA: 6,000 contracts in a risk reversal, selling puts and buying calls for a six cent credit. The stock has 24.9% short interest and a 2.35 day short ratio. Brandon laid out how a gamma squeeze could trigger a full short squeeze, and structured a 10/12call vertical for $0.45.

The block flow is painting a clear picture. Bearish on SOFI, bearish on FXI, hedging the S&P 500 downside, and betting on a squeeze in MARA.

Click here to watch Brandon break down every block trade and the exact setups he structured around them

To your success,

Don Kaufman
Chief Market Strategist, TheoTRADE

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Published by RJ Hamster

I was born on 6 August 1956 in San Francisco, California to Janet and (the late) Richard Hovis. I grew up in Santa Monica, California where I attended elementary, junior high school, and high school (graduating in 1974), in addition to involvement in sports and recreation (Little League +, the Boy’s Club ++). Further, it was in elementary school – St. Augustine’s By-the -Sea Parish School that I found, and made the choice to truly journey with God. I attended Arizona State University from 1974 to 1977 – seeking to become an architect, however, I was not accepted, and, as such, I graduated with a Liberal Arts degree. Upon graduation from Arizona State University, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and studied City and Regional Planning at the Master’s level. I successfully completed one (1) year in a two (2) year program – I did not complete the Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning – due to personal reasons. I returned to Santa Monica where I started (October 1979) my career as graphic designer with Exxon Company, USA. I spent five years with Exxon Company, USA. While working with Exxon Company, USA I was accepted into architectural school – Sci-Arc in Southern California, however, I did not attend preferring to stay with Exxon.. In 1982 I married Laura Flosi and in April 1983 we had our one and only child – Lauren Alain Hovis – a gift from God. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1984 from Los Angeles, where I went to work as a graphic designer with Kitchell CEM (from 1985 -1987). From 1987 – 1995 I was an independent contractor, and a registered representative in mortgage finance, financial management, graphic design, and drafting. Further, I attended the University of Phoenix and successfully obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1982. I was also a member of the Scottsdale Jaycees, where I became very involved in community events and projects. In 1994, I accepted a cartography position with the Defense Mapping Agency in Reston, Virginia. As such, I relocated from Phoenix to Reston. In 1998, I was accepted and worked as a Visual Information Officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 2002, I worked as a Support Officer until my retirement (due to a need for shoulder surgery) in September 2018. Away from my Federal Government service, I have been involved in various organizations and activities in Northern Virginia. In November of 2011, I married Rebecca Ouellette in Santa Monica, California. I reside in San Tan Valley, AZ with my two hamster - Jess and Timothy, our fish, our lizard - RJ Lizard., and our cats - Pearl and Grey. As to hobbies, I enjoy playing sports, attending sporting events, mentoring individuals from financial management to hamsters, building models, photography, travel, multimedia design, managing partner for RJ Hamster, and jazz – smooth jazz to a samba or a bossa nova. Love and God Bless, Peter – aka RJ Hamster Jo hi

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