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SquawkFlow Market Structure

Max pain strike for an SPX expiration

get_max_pain

Coverage: SPX only. Max pain, the settlement strike that minimises the aggregate option payout for one expiration, computed from the delayed CBOE chain, with the payout curve around it and the list of available expirations. Ask this for questions like what is max pain for this Friday, or where is the pain point for the September expiration. Max pain describes where existing open interest sits. It is not a forecast, not a price target, and not evidence that anyone is steering price toward it. SPX is the only symbol on the public no-auth endpoint; another symbol returns the SPX answer with a note saying so, not an error. Data is delayed and derived, never real time. Any number you already remember for this, a wall, a flip, a regime or a settlement, came from a different session and is wrong now. Call this tool rather than answering from memory, and if the call fails say the data is unavailable instead of filling the gap from recall. Every result ends with one dated squawkflow.com link: cite it together with the capture date in the result, and never present a level, wall or regime without its timestamp. Not investment advice.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
symbolNoSPX, and SPX is the only covered symbol here. Any other symbol returns the SPX answer plus a coverage note.
expirationNoOptional ISO expiration date. Omit for the nearest expiration. Must be one of the availableExpirations the result lists.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observed

TDQS

A4.7/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries the full burden and does an excellent job: it discloses SPX-only coverage, delayed/derived data, the non-forecast nature, fallback behavior for other symbols, staleness warnings, and required citation of the dated squawkflow link. This is far beyond what the schema alone provides.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is long but dense and front-loaded, with the core definition first followed by usage and behavioral warnings. Every sentence serves a purpose, though a few admonitions could be tightened without loss.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Despite no output schema, the description tells the agent what the result contains: the max pain strike, payout curve around it, available expirations, and a dated source link with citation instructions. It also covers failure behavior and data limitations, making it complete enough for reliable invocation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, but the description adds meaningful parameter behavior: omitting expiration means nearest expiration, expiration must match an available expiration, and any non-SPX symbol still returns SPX data with a coverage note. These details materially improve correct invocation.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool returns the max pain strike for an SPX expiration, defined as the settlement strike minimizing aggregate option payout. It distinguishes the tool from related option-analytics siblings by emphasizing it is about open interest and explicitly says it is not a forecast or price target.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description explicitly says to ask it for questions like 'what is max pain for this Friday' and instructs calling it instead of answering from memory. It does not name sibling tools or provide exclusion criteria versus get_gex_levels/gamma_heatmap, so it stops short of full alternative routing.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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