{"id":91740,"date":"2026-05-19T16:46:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T11:16:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/?p=91740"},"modified":"2026-05-19T16:46:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T11:16:10","slug":"fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/","title":{"rendered":"F&#038;O Prediction for Tomorrow 20 May 2026: PCR 0.94, 21 May Expiry in 2 Days and FOMC Minutes Tonight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Posted by: <\/strong>Ankit Jaiswal, Senior Research Analyst, Univest | 19 May 2026<\/p><p>The F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow on 20 May 2026 is shaped by the most compressed event-risk calendar of May 2026: the Nifty 50 weekly options series expires on Thursday 21 May, just 2 trading sessions away, while the FOMC minutes release tonight will create significant gap risk for Thursday&#8217;s opening via GIFT Nifty. The Nifty 50 closed at 23,618 on Tuesday with India VIX falling 4.87 per cent to 18.68, the PCR recovering to 0.9435 (Upstox live data), and the 21 May weekly series showing call writing concentrated at the 23,500 and 23,600 strikes while put writing is anchored at 23,400 and 23,300, per Choice India confirmed data.<\/p><p>Ankit Jaiswal, Senior Research Analyst at Univest, notes that the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow operates in a classic near-expiry high-theta environment where small Nifty moves create disproportionate option P&amp;L changes. With ATM IV at approximately 18.5 to 19 per cent (derived from VIX 18.68) and just 2 days to the 21 May Thursday expiry, theta decay is at maximum velocity. Kunal Singla, Associate Director at Univest, adds that the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow&#8217;s base case is range compression between 23,400 and 23,700, with option writers defending both sides and Max Pain at approximately 23,500 acting as the gravitational centre for Wednesday&#8217;s session.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#F_O_Dashboard_19_May_2026_Close\" title=\"F&amp;O Dashboard: 19 May 2026 Close\">F&amp;O Dashboard: 19 May 2026 Close<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#Nifty_F_O_Prediction_for_Tomorrow_21_May_Expiry_Analysis\" title=\"Nifty F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow: 21 May Expiry Analysis\">Nifty F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow: 21 May Expiry Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#Bank_Nifty_F_O_Prediction_for_Tomorrow\" title=\"Bank Nifty F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow\">Bank Nifty F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#F_O_Strategies_for_Tomorrow_20_May_2026\" title=\"F&amp;O Strategies for Tomorrow 20 May 2026\">F&amp;O Strategies for Tomorrow 20 May 2026<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#Near-Expiry_Short_Straddle_at_23500_21_May_Expiry\" title=\"Near-Expiry: Short Straddle at 23,500 (21 May Expiry)\">Near-Expiry: Short Straddle at 23,500 (21 May Expiry)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#Bank_Nifty_Long_Private_Bank_Spread\" title=\"Bank Nifty: Long Private Bank Spread\">Bank Nifty: Long Private Bank Spread<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#Pre-FOMC_Rule_Close_All_Overnight_by_3_20_PM_IST\" title=\"Pre-FOMC Rule: Close All Overnight by 3:20 PM IST\">Pre-FOMC Rule: Close All Overnight by 3:20 PM IST<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#Risks_to_F_O_Prediction_for_Tomorrow\" title=\"Risks to F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow\">Risks to F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#Conclusion_F_O_Prediction_for_Tomorrow_20_May_2026\" title=\"Conclusion: F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow 20 May 2026\">Conclusion: F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow 20 May 2026<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#FAQs\" title=\"FAQs\">FAQs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#What_is_the_F_O_prediction_for_tomorrow_on_20_May_2026\" title=\"What is the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow on 20 May 2026?\">What is the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow on 20 May 2026?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#What_is_the_Nifty_PCR_today_and_what_does_094_mean\" title=\"What is the Nifty PCR today and what does 0.94 mean?\">What is the Nifty PCR today and what does 0.94 mean?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#When_is_the_Nifty_weekly_expiry_this_week\" title=\"When is the Nifty weekly expiry this week?\">When is the Nifty weekly expiry this week?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#What_is_the_best_F_O_strategy_for_20_May\" title=\"What is the best F&amp;O strategy for 20 May?\">What is the best F&amp;O strategy for 20 May?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#What_is_the_Nifty_Max_Pain_for_the_21_May_2026_expiry\" title=\"What is the Nifty Max Pain for the 21 May 2026 expiry?\">What is the Nifty Max Pain for the 21 May 2026 expiry?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/fo-prediction-for-tomorrow-20-may-2026-pcr-0-94-21-may-expiry-in-2-days-and-fomc-minutes-tonight\/#Also_Read\" title=\"Also Read\">Also Read<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"F_O_Dashboard_19_May_2026_Close\"><\/span><strong>F&amp;O Dashboard: 19 May 2026 Close<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>F&amp;O Metric<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Reading (19 May 2026)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Signal for 20 May<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Nifty 50 Spot<\/td><td>23,618 (-31.95, -0.14%)<\/td><td>Gap-up open, afternoon sell-off pattern<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Nifty PCR<\/td><td>0.9435 (Upstox live)<\/td><td>Near-neutral; slight bullish lean<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>India VIX<\/td><td>18.68 (-4.87%)<\/td><td>Falling; option premiums easing<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>ATM IV (Nifty est.)<\/td><td>~18.5-19%<\/td><td>Near-expiry elevated; sell premium<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>21 May Weekly Expiry<\/td><td>2 trading sessions<\/td><td>Maximum theta decay phase<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>26 May Monthly Expiry<\/td><td>7 trading sessions<\/td><td>FOMC impact absorbed Thursday<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Key Call Writing<\/td><td>23,500 CE and 23,600 CE<\/td><td>Options resistance zone<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Key Put Writing<\/td><td>23,400 PE and 23,300 PE<\/td><td>Options support zone<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Max Pain (21 May est.)<\/td><td>~23,500<\/td><td>Index gravitational centre<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Nifty Futures (~est.)<\/td><td>~23,668 (+50 pts premium)<\/td><td>Positive carry; no short buildup<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Bank Nifty Close<\/td><td>~53,696 (+0.30%)<\/td><td>Private banks led; PSU banks lagged<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>FII 18 May<\/td><td>+Rs 2,642.17 Cr (net buyer)<\/td><td>Bullish institutional reversal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>FOMC Minutes<\/td><td>Tonight (20 May)<\/td><td>CRITICAL overnight gap risk for Thu<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nifty_F_O_Prediction_for_Tomorrow_21_May_Expiry_Analysis\"><\/span><strong>Nifty F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow: 21 May Expiry Analysis<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><strong>21 May Expiry: <\/strong>Thursday, 2 sessions away; maximum theta decay phase<\/p><p><strong>Nifty Max Pain (21 May): <\/strong>~23,500<\/p><p><strong>Call Wall: <\/strong>23,600 CE (heaviest call writing per Choice India)<\/p><p><strong>Put Wall: <\/strong>23,300-23,400 PE (put writing support)<\/p><p><strong>Expected Range Wednesday: <\/strong>23,400 to 23,750<\/p><p>The most important insight in Ankit Jaiswal&#8217;s F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow is that the 21 May expiry is just 2 days away and Nifty at 23,618 is 118 points ABOVE the estimated Max Pain of 23,500. This means option writers are incentivised to push the index lower toward 23,500 through Wednesday and into Thursday&#8217;s expiry close. The F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow therefore expects selling pressure on any intraday rally above 23,700 as call writers defend the 23,600 strike.<\/p><p>Kunal Singla&#8217;s F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow on the PCR of 0.9435 confirms a near-neutral to mildly bullish options market. A PCR of 0.9435 means put open interest is only slightly below call open interest, indicating balanced positioning without extreme fear or greed. This neutral PCR combined with a falling VIX of 18.68 makes the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow supportive of option-selling strategies rather than directional long options buying.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bank_Nifty_F_O_Prediction_for_Tomorrow\"><\/span><strong>Bank Nifty F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><strong>Bank Nifty Close: <\/strong>~53,696 (+0.30%)<\/p><p><strong>BN Weekly Expiry: <\/strong>25 May (Monday, 6 days)<\/p><p><strong>Estimated BN Max Pain: <\/strong>~53,200-53,500<\/p><p><strong>Key BN Resistance: <\/strong>54,000 CE (call writing)<\/p><p><strong>Key BN Support: <\/strong>52,500-52,800 PE (put writing)<\/p><p>The Bank Nifty F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow is mildly positive after Tuesday&#8217;s 0.30 per cent recovery, led by private banks (Kotak +1.14%, Federal +0.80%, ICICI +0.58%) while PSU banks remained under pressure. Kunal Singla&#8217;s F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow on Bank Nifty identifies the 53,800 level as the pivot: above 53,800 with private bank leadership shifts the Bank Nifty F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow to mildly bullish; below 53,400 confirms the PSU bank drag and targets 52,800 support.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"F_O_Strategies_for_Tomorrow_20_May_2026\"><\/span><strong>F&amp;O Strategies for Tomorrow 20 May 2026<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Near-Expiry_Short_Straddle_at_23500_21_May_Expiry\"><\/span><strong>Near-Expiry: Short Straddle at 23,500 (21 May Expiry)<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>With 2 days to the 21 May expiry and ATM IV at 18.5 to 19 per cent, selling the 23,500 straddle (23,500 CE + 23,500 PE) for Thursday expiry is Jaiswal&#8217;s preferred F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow premium collection strategy. Maximum profit if Nifty closes between 23,200 and 23,800 on Thursday. Exit if Nifty moves more than 300 points from 23,500 in either direction intraday.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bank_Nifty_Long_Private_Bank_Spread\"><\/span><strong>Bank Nifty: Long Private Bank Spread<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>For Bank Nifty, Kunal Singla&#8217;s F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow favours a bull call spread (buy 53,700 CE, sell 54,200 CE for 25 May expiry) to express the private bank relative strength view with defined risk. This aligns with the established Kotak-ICICI-Federal Bank leadership pattern.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-FOMC_Rule_Close_All_Overnight_by_3_20_PM_IST\"><\/span><strong>Pre-FOMC Rule: Close All Overnight by 3:20 PM IST<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>The non-negotiable rule in the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow: close all overnight Nifty futures and options positions by 3:20 PM IST Wednesday. FOMC minutes will create a GIFT Nifty gap for Thursday&#8217;s 21 May expiry day. Holding overnight in near-expiry options through a FOMC gap is the highest risk action in the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow context.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/screeners\">Screen live Nifty and Bank Nifty F&amp;O data on the Univest Screener.<\/a><\/p><p>Download the <a href=\"http:\/\/apps.apple.com\/in\/app\/univest-stocks-investment\/id6443753518\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Univest iOS App<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.univest.capp&amp;hl=en_IN\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Univest Android App<\/a> to get daily F&amp;O analysis, PCR and Max Pain data.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Risks_to_F_O_Prediction_for_Tomorrow\"><\/span><strong>Risks to F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>FOMC Gap on Thursday 21 May Expiry: <\/strong>FOMC minutes tonight create a GIFT Nifty gap for Thursday, which is the 21 May weekly expiry day. A 200-plus point gap up or down on expiry day creates gamma explosion in near-ATM strikes, making all short premium strategies extremely dangerous overnight in the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>PCR Extreme Reading Risk: <\/strong>PCR at 0.9435 is near-neutral. If Wednesday sees heavy put buying (PCR drops to 0.75), it signals institutional fear building and would shift the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow to bearish on Bank Nifty and Nifty.<\/li>\n\n<li><strong>PSU Bank Systemic Weakness: <\/strong>SBI -2.53%, Canara -2.47%, PNB -2.20% Tuesday confirms structural PSU bank weakness. Any credit quality news would amplify Bank Nifty futures selling beyond the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow base case.<\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion_F_O_Prediction_for_Tomorrow_20_May_2026\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion: F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow 20 May 2026<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>The F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow on 20 May 2026 is range-bound for the 21 May expiry session, with Nifty PCR at 0.9435, VIX at 18.68, Max Pain at 23,500 and FOMC minutes as the overnight binary event. Ankit Jaiswal&#8217;s F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow recommends the short 23,500 straddle for the 21 May expiry with a 300-point stop, while Kunal Singla recommends a bull call spread on Bank Nifty (53,700\/54,200 for 25 May) for the private bank outperformance theme.<\/p><p><strong>Disclaimer: <\/strong><em>This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Univest is a SEBI registered research analyst entity (Uniresearch Global Pvt Ltd, INH000012449). Commodity, F&amp;O and equity investments are subject to market risk. Please consult a SEBI registered financial advisor before making any investment decision.<\/em><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><strong>FAQs<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_F_O_prediction_for_tomorrow_on_20_May_2026\"><\/span><strong>What is the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow on 20 May 2026?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p><strong>Ans. The F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow is range-bound,<\/strong> with Nifty PCR at 0.9435, VIX at 18.68 and the 21 May weekly expiry just 2 days away. Max Pain at 23,500 acts as the gravitational centre for Wednesday. FOMC minutes tonight are the dominant risk. Close all overnight positions by 3:20 PM IST in the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Nifty_PCR_today_and_what_does_094_mean\"><\/span><strong>What is the Nifty PCR today and what does 0.94 mean?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p><strong>Ans. The Nifty 50 PCR (Put Call Ratio) is 0.9435 on 19 May 2026,<\/strong> as confirmed by Upstox live data. A PCR of 0.9435 indicates near-neutral options sentiment with put OI slightly below call OI. A PCR between 0.85 and 1.0 suggests balanced institutional positioning without extreme fear or greed in the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow context.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_is_the_Nifty_weekly_expiry_this_week\"><\/span><strong>When is the Nifty weekly expiry this week?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p><strong>Ans. The Nifty 50 weekly options series expires on Thursday 21 May 2026,<\/strong> which is 2 trading sessions from Tuesday 19 May. Wednesday 20 May is the second-to-last session before expiry, making it the peak theta decay day in the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow. The 26 May monthly series expires 7 sessions away.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_best_F_O_strategy_for_20_May\"><\/span><strong>What is the best F&amp;O strategy for 20 May?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p><strong>Ans. Ankit Jaiswal&#8217;s F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow recommends selling the Nifty 23,500 straddle<\/strong> for the 21 May Thursday expiry to collect elevated ATM IV at 18.5 to 19 per cent with maximum theta decay. Exit if Nifty moves more than 300 points from 23,500. For Bank Nifty, a bull call spread (53,700\/54,200 for 25 May) expresses the private bank strength with defined risk.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_Nifty_Max_Pain_for_the_21_May_2026_expiry\"><\/span><strong>What is the Nifty Max Pain for the 21 May 2026 expiry?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p><strong>Ans. The estimated Nifty Max Pain for the 21 May 2026 weekly expiry is approximately 23,500.<\/strong> With Nifty spot at 23,618, the index is 118 points above Max Pain. Call writing at 23,500 and 23,600 creates resistance, while put writing at 23,300 and 23,400 provides support in the F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow framework.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Also_Read\"><\/span><strong>Also Read<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><a href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs\">Nifty 50 Options Prediction for Tomorrow: Univest Blogs<\/a><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs\">Bank Nifty Options Prediction for Tomorrow: Univest Blogs<\/a><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/univest.in\/screeners\">Screen F&amp;O Data: Univest Screener<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Posted by: Ankit Jaiswal, Senior Research Analyst, Univest | 19 May 2026 The F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow on 20 May 2026 is shaped by the most compressed event-risk calendar of May 2026: the Nifty 50 weekly options series expires on Thursday 21 May, just 2 trading sessions away, while the FOMC minutes release tonight will<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":91745,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[842],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"metadata":{"_edit_lock":["1779189385:26"],"_last_editor_used_jetpack":["block-editor"],"rank_math_internal_links_processed":["1"],"rank_math_primary_category":["842"],"rank_math_seo_score":["74"],"rank_math_focus_keyword":["F&O prediction for tomorrow"],"rank_math_robots":["a:2:{i:0;s:7:\"noindex\";i:1;s:8:\"nofollow\";}"],"rank_math_title":["F&amp;O Prediction for Tomorrow 20 May 2026 | Nifty PCR 0.94, Max Pain and FOMC"],"rank_math_description":["F&amp;O prediction for tomorrow 20 May 2026: Nifty 23,618, PCR 0.9435, VIX 18.68. 21 May weekly expiry in 2 days. FOMC tonight. Max Pain 23,500. Ankit Jaiswal and Kunal Singla at Univest."],"_thumbnail_id":["91745"],"_edit_last":["26"],"_ez-toc-disabled":[""],"_ez-toc-insert":[""],"_ez-toc-header-label":[""],"_ez-toc-alignment":["none"],"_ez-toc-heading-levels":["a:0:{}"],"_ez-toc-alttext":[""],"_ez-toc-visibility_hide_by_default":[""],"_ez-toc-hide_counter":[""],"_ez-toc-exclude":[""],"_ez-toc-position-specific":["before"],"stm_select_gm_zoom":[""],"stm_agenda":[""],"stm_host":[""],"stm_select_approved_denied":[""],"stm_multiselect_approved":[""],"stm_multiselect_denied":[""],"stm_date":[""],"stm_time":[""],"stm_timezone":[""],"stm_duration":[""],"stm_password":[""],"stm_waiting_room":[""],"stm_join_before_host":[""],"stm_host_join_start":[""],"stm_start_after_participants":[""],"stm_mute_participants":[""],"stm_enforce_login":[""],"stm_alternative_hosts":[""],"top_bar_custom_style":[""],"top_bar_bg":[""],"wc_top_bar_cart_custom_style":[""],"wc_top_bar_cart_color":[""],"wc_top_bar_cart_icon_color_hover":[""],"wc_top_bar_cart_counter_color":[""],"wc_top_bar_cart_counter_color_hover":[""],"wc_top_bar_cart_counter_bg":[""],"wc_top_bar_cart_counter_bg_hover":[""],"top_bar_wpml_switcher_custom_style":[""],"wpml_switcher_color":[""],"top_bar_wpml_switcher_bg":[""],"top_bar_wpml_switcher_bg_hover":[""],"top_bar_wpml_switcher_color_hover":[""],"top_bar_socials_custom_style":[""],"top_bar_socials_color":[""],"top_bar_socials_color_hover":[""],"top_bar_search_custom_style":[""],"top_bar_search_color":[""],"top_bar_search_icon_color_hover":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_style":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_color":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_link_color":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_link_color_hover":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_select_bg":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_select_color":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_select_drop_bg":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_select_items_bg":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_select_items_color":[""],"top_bar_contact_info_select_items_hover":[""],"header_inverse":["default"],"enable_header_transparent":["off"],"header_nav_custom_style":[""],"header_bg":[""],"header_shadow":[""],"wc_cart_custom_style":[""],"wc_cart_icon_color":[""],"wc_cart_icon_color_hover":[""],"wc_cart_counter_color":[""],"wc_cart_counter_color_hover":[""],"wc_cart_counter_bg":[""],"wc_cart_counter_bg_hover":[""],"header_wpml_switcher_custom_style":[""],"header_wpml_switcher_color":[""],"header_wpml_switcher_color_hover":[""],"header_wpml_switcher_bg":[""],"header_wpml_switcher_bg_hover":[""],"header_socials_custom_style":[""],"header_socials_color":[""],"header_socials_color_hover":[""],"header_search_custom_style":[""],"header_search_icon_color":[""],"header_search_icon_color_hover":[""],"header_contact_info_style":[""],"header_contact_info_color":[""],"header_contact_info_link_color":[""],"header_contact_info_link_color_hover":[""],"header_button_custom_style":[""],"header_button_color":[""],"header_button_color_hover":[""],"header_button_bg":[""],"header_button_bg_hover":[""],"header_nav_menu_customize":[""],"header_nav_menu_link_color":[""],"header_nav_menu_link_color_hover":[""],"header_nav_menu_link_color_active":[""],"header_nav_menu_link_arrow_color":[""],"header_nav_menu_link_arrow_color_hover":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_1_bg":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_1_link_color":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_1_link_color_hover":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_1_link_bg_hover":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_1_link_arrow_color":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_1_link_arrow_color_hover":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_2_bg":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_2_link_color":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_2_link_color_hover":[""],"header_nav_menu_level_2_link_bg_hover":[""],"header_mega_menu_bg":[""],"header_mega_menu_title_color":[""],"header_mega_menu_title_color_hover":[""],"header_mega_menu_description_color":[""],"header_mega_menu_description_link_color":[""],"header_mega_menu_description_link_color_hover":[""],"header_mega_menu_color":[""],"header_mega_menu_color_hover":[""],"header_mega_menu_border_color":[""],"header_mega_menu_icons_color":[""],"header_nav_menu_customize_end":[""],"hfe_enabled_notice":[""],"disable_title_box":["default"],"hfe_disabled":[""],"enable_transparent":["default"],"title_box_title_bg_color":[""],"title_box_bg_custom_image":["default"],"title_box_bg_image":[""],"title_box_bg_position":["default"],"metabox_title_box_bg_position_x":[""],"metabox_title_box_bg_position_y":[""],"metabox_title_box_bg_attachment":["default"],"title_box_bg_size":["default"],"metabox_title_box_bg_size_slider":[""],"title_box_bg_repeat":["default"],"disable_title":["default"],"title_box_title_color":[""],"title_box_title_line_color":[""],"disable_breadcrumbs":["default"],"metabox_title_box_breadcrumbs_color":[""],"metabox_title_box_links_color":[""],"metabox_title_box_links_color_hover":[""],"content_bg_transparent":[""],"show_popup_single":[""],"popups_single":[""],"popups_single_event":[""],"popup_single_event_open_delay":[""],"popup_single_event_showing_in":[""],"popup_single_event_date_from":[""],"popup_single_event_date_to":[""],"popup_single_event_time_from":[""],"popup_single_event_time_to":[""],"popup_single_animation":[""],"popup_single_responsive":[""],"separator_footer_copyright_border_t":[""],"name":[""],"email":[""],"phone":[""],"company":[""],"memberId":[""],"testimonial_position":[""],"testimonial_company":[""],"testimonial_bg_img":[""],"testimonial_video_url":[""],"popups_width":[""],"popups_height":[""],"popups_image_bg":[""],"popups_color_bg":[""],"popups_border_radius":[""],"popups_template":[""],"rank_math_analytic_object_id":["12330"]},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/univest-blog.storage.googleapis.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/19164538\/FO-Prediction-for-Tomorrow-20-May-2026.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91740","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91740"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91740\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91746,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91740\/revisions\/91746"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/univest.in\/blogs-2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}