Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) Probability Analysis

Probability analysis extracts the risk-neutral probability distribution implied by option prices. It shows the market-implied likelihood of the underlying reaching various price levels by expiration.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) operates in the Basic Materials sector, specifically the Copper industry, with a market capitalization near $91.47B, listed on NYSE, employing roughly 28,500 people, carrying a beta of 1.32 to the broader market. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. Led by Kathleen Lynne Quirk, public since 1995-07-10.

Snapshot as of May 29, 2026.

Spot Price
$65.62
ATM IV
53.5%
IV Rank
74.7%
IV Percentile
90.5%
HV 20-Day
50.4%
IV Skew 25Δ
-0.022

As of May 29, 2026, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) at $65.62 has an ATM IV of 53.5%, implying a 30-day one-standard-deviation range of approximately ±$10.06. IV rank is 74.7% (elevated, distribution priced wider than typical). IV percentile is 90.5%. The 25-delta skew is -0.022: downside tail priced richer than upside, biasing probability mass below spot. Under lognormal assumptions roughly 68% of outcomes fall within ±1σ and 95% within ±2σ; risk-neutral probability analysis refines this by extracting the market-implied distribution directly from options prices, capturing the fat tails that real markets exhibit.

How FCX probability analysis Data Feeds Strategy Selection

Strategy selection on Freeport-McMoRan Inc. options does not derive from any single metric in isolation. The probability analysis view above sits inside a broader read: ATM IV currently sits at 53.5% and dealer gamma exposure is positive, so dealer hedging is mechanically mean-reverting. Combine the probability analysis data here with the volatility-skew surface, dealer-gamma exposure, max-pain level, and upcoming-events calendar to build a positioning thesis. Risk-defined structures (credit spreads, debit spreads, iron condors) are usually safer than naked positions while the regime is uncertain; the data on this page anchors the inputs but does not by itself constitute a trade thesis.

How to read the FCX probability distribution

The probability cone above is the option-market-implied distribution of where Freeport-McMoRan Inc. spot could end up at expiration. It's derived from the implied-volatility surface via a risk-neutral pricing transformation, not from historical realized returns. With ATM IV at 53.5% and spot at $65.62, the 1σ band is approximately ±18.4% over a 30-day horizon. Recent realized HV-20 of 50.4% runs 3.0 vol points below the current implied, suggesting the chain is pricing more dispersion than the underlying has been delivering.

FCX risk-neutral vs real-world probabilities

The probabilities derived from option prices reflect the market's risk-adjusted view, not the realized statistical distribution. Risk-neutral probabilities include the equity risk premium and skew preferences priced into options, so they tend to overstate tail probability and understate upside drift relative to actually-realized outcomes. FCX's put-skewed 25-delta surface (-0.022) means downside risk-neutral probabilities are higher than upside - the empirical bias is well-documented. For probability-of-touch calculations and assignment-risk modeling, risk-neutral is the right benchmark. For position-sizing your own conviction, blend with realized-volatility-based statistics from the HV columns.

Trading the FCX distribution

Probability-driven strategies aim to capture mispricings between the implied distribution and your own probability assessment. Premium-selling structures (credit spreads, iron condors, cash-secured puts) profit when the implied distribution overprices tail probability relative to realized; premium-buying (debit spreads, long calls/puts, long straddles) profits in the reverse. With FCX IV rank at 74.7%, the chain is pricing fatter tails than recent realized history; sellers earn the gap on average. Always pair probability-driven strategy selection with a stop loss or wing-defined risk - the implied distribution is a snapshot, and regime shifts can invalidate it intraday.

Learn how risk-neutral density is reported and how to read the data →

Frequently asked FCX probability analysis questions

What is the FCX 30-day expected price range?
As of May 29, 2026, with FCX at $65.62 and ATM IV at 53.5%, the implied 30-day one-standard-deviation range is approximately ±$10.06, or about $55.56 to $75.68. IV rank is elevated, so the priced distribution is wider than the 1-year typical width.
What does FCX risk-neutral density tell us?
Risk-neutral density is the probability distribution of future FCX price implied by listed option prices. Extracted via Breeden-Litzenberger (twice-differentiating the call price function with respect to strike), it represents the pricing kernel rather than the real-world probability of outcomes. Persistent skew or fat-tail features in the density reflect how the market is pricing tail risk.
How does FCX ATM IV translate to a probability range?
ATM IV is annualized; multiplying by sqrt(t/365) scales it to the chosen tenor. Under lognormal assumptions, the resulting standard deviation defines the ±1σ band that contains roughly 68% of outcomes, ±2σ for 95%. Empirical equity returns have fatter tails than log-normal, so the implied tail probabilities under-state realized tail frequency in stressed regimes.