TradingAgents MCP

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

options_chain

Analyze a single-expiry options chain by retrieving near-the-money strikes, implied volatility, Greeks, open interest, volume, skew, put/call ratios, and max pain for today.

Instructions

One expiry in detail: the near-the-money strikes (bid/ask, IV, Black-Scholes delta, open interest, volume for calls and puts), implied move, 25-delta skew, put/call ratios, the biggest open-interest strikes and max pain. Default expiry: the first at least 21 days out. Today only.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "ticker": "<ticker>"
    },
    "name": "options_chain"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`as_of`	No
`expiry`	No
`ticker`	Yes
`strikes_each_side`	No

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.3.0Nov 7, 2026

TDQS

A3.7/5.0

Behavior3/5

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the burden: it discloses the returned payload and the default-expiry heuristic, which is useful. It is silent on failure modes (unknown ticker, expired/illiquid expiry), latency or rate limits, and how as_of interacts with the 'Today only' restriction — a notable gap given a nullable as_of parameter is exposed.

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?

Front-loads the purpose in the first clause, then packs the field inventory into one parenthetical, and closes with the default-expiry rule and the today-only constraint. Dense but every clause carries information; the long parenthetical is the only mild drag.

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?

For a 4-parameter analytical read with an output schema, this is close to complete: it defines scope (one expiry), defaults (21-day rule), data currency (today only), and what is returned. The only unfilled hole is as_of semantics, which the structured schema also fails to explain.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate. It does explain expiry (with a default rule) and 'near-the-money strikes' implicitly bounds strikes_each_side, adding real meaning. It leaves as_of completely unexplained, and 'Today only' arguably conflicts with its presence — a meaningful remaining gap.

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

Purpose4/5

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

States a specific verb+resource: one expiry's option chain in detail, then enumerates the concrete data returned (bid/ask, IV, delta, OI, volume, implied move, skew, put/call ratios, max pain). 'One expiry in detail' implicitly separates it from the sibling options_overview, though it never names that sibling explicitly.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

Gives a concrete default-selection rule ('first at least 21 days out') and a hard constraint ('Today only'), which is real when-to-use context. But it never states when to prefer options_overview or options_strategy over this tool, nor what happens if the requested expiry has no listed options.

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