Cumulative Flow
The running total of bullish minus bearish options premium throughout the trading day, showing net institutional sentiment.
Formula
Cumulative Flow = Sum(Bullish Premium) - Sum(Bearish Premium)
More Details
What is Cumulative Flow?
Cumulative Flow tracks the net difference between bullish and bearish options premium over time. It provides a real-time gauge of institutional sentiment throughout the trading day.
Learn more: Options Flow Features | Options Flow Dashboard
Calculation
At any point in time:
Cumulative Flow = Total Bullish Premium - Total Bearish Premium
Interpreting Cumulative Flow
- Rising Line: Net bullish accumulation more premium flowing into calls
- Falling Line: Net bearish accumulation more premium flowing into puts
- Flat Line: Balanced or low activity
- Sharp Spikes: Large individual trades shifting sentiment
Intraday Patterns
- Morning Divergence: Flow direction opposite to price often precedes reversals
- Afternoon Confirmation: Flow aligning with price suggests trend continuation
- EOD Positioning: Large flows near close may indicate overnight expectations
TradesViz Implementation
View cumulative flow charts for any symbol with customizable timeframes and bullish/bearish filters.
Where to find it in TradesViz
Home > Tools > Options Flow (or click the 4 boxes icon at top right > Options Flow). Cumulative Flow Chart shows running net bullish vs bearish premium throughout the day. Filter by order type, premium size, or sentiment. Divergence between flow and price highlighted on chart.
Example
SPY cumulative flow starts at 0, reaches +15M by noon (bullish), then drops to +5M by close.