Stocks ended mixed on October 15, 2026. IWM rose 1.37% and DIA gained 1.08%, while SPY added 0.28% and QQQ slipped 0.13%. VIX climbed 7.79% to 16.46. The largest options order was a $7.6M QQQ put expiring October 16; AMD calls carried $5.0M in premium.
Market snapshot
IWM: $275.08, up 1.37%, leading the four stock ETFs.
DIA: $521.18, up 1.08%.
SPY: $771.79, up 0.28%.
QQQ: $728.00, down 0.13%.
VIX: 16.46, up 7.79%. Volatility rose alongside a mixed stock-market finish.
Biggest options orders
QQQ: $7.6M premium in $780 puts expiring October 16, 2026—the largest order.
AMD: $5.0M premium in $630 calls expiring January 21, 2028.
GEO: $3.2M premium in $28 calls expiring November 20, 2026.
AMZN: $3.2M premium in $270 puts expiring October 16, 2026.
SPCX: $2.8M premium in $165 calls expiring December 17, 2027.
KNX: $2.7M premium in $75 calls expiring December 18, 2026.
SPY: $2.6M premium in $720 calls expiring December 31, 2026.
TLT: $2.5M premium in $84 puts expiring October 16, 2026.
Call and put labels alone do not establish a trader's overall position or intent.
Headlines to watch
NATO: The Pentagon said NATO 3.0 envisions rebalancing the alliance and reducing the U.S. troop presence in Europe, according to Tradex.
Pinterest: A filing headline carried by Tradex said the company entered a five-year, $700 million revolving credit facility on October 15, replacing its previous $500 million facility.
Blue Owl Capital: A filing headline carried by Tradex said its revolving credit commitment increased to $3.23 billion, with potential to reach $3.87 billion. Maturity was extended to October 14, 2031.
GEO: The GEO Group announced the date for its third-quarter 2026 earnings release and conference call, according to Business Wire.
Diplomacy: Tradex reported that Defense Secretary Hegseth met with the UK's Streeting at the Pentagon. It also carried an Axios report that Secretary of State Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Power Integrations: Business Wire carried an announcement about its upcoming third-quarter financial results.
What to watch next
October 16 expirations: The QQQ $780 puts, AMZN $270 puts and TLT $84 puts expire the next day, putting those contracts on the immediate calendar.
Market split: Watch whether IWM and DIA continue to outperform QQQ, and whether VIX continues rising after its 7.79% gain.
Earnings calendar: Watch for the third-quarter releases from GEO and Power Integrations.
Educational only; not financial advice.
Questions about today
What happened in the market on October 15, 2026?
IWM gained 1.37%, DIA rose 1.08% and SPY added 0.28%, while QQQ fell 0.13%. VIX rose 7.79% to 16.46.
What was the biggest options order of the session?
The largest order was in QQQ $780 puts expiring October 16, 2026, with $7.6M in premium. AMD $630 calls expiring January 21, 2028, followed at $5.0M.
Which major options orders expire on October 16, 2026?
QQQ $780 puts carried $7.6M in premium, AMZN $270 puts carried $3.2M and TLT $84 puts carried $2.5M. All three expire October 16, 2026.