United Rentals (URI) Surges 5.7% on Intraday Rally – What’s Fueling the Momentum?

Summary
• URI’s intraday price jumps 5.71% to $893.32, breaking above its 52-week high of $1,021.47
• Turnover surges to 718,401 shares, outpacing its 1.14% average daily volume
• Options chain shows 8-volume contracts, with URI20260109C890 seeing 10,324 turnover and 876.97% price change
United Rentals is trading at its highest level since early 2026, with intraday volatility pushing it 5.7% above the previous close. The stock’s sharp move has triggered a surge in call options activity, particularly around the $890 strike. With the 200-day moving average at $803.11 and Bollinger Bands indicating a potential breakout, traders are scrambling to position for a continuation of the rally.

Technical Breakout Drives URI’s Sharp Intraday Surge
URI’s 5.7% intraday rally is driven by a technical breakout above key resistance levels. The stock has pierced its 30-day moving average ($809.72) and 200-day moving average ($803.11), creating a short-term bullish momentum. The MACD histogram (4.69) and RSI (53.8) suggest a shift in momentum, while the Bollinger Bands (Upper: $842.58, Middle: $812.92) indicate the price is diverging from its long-term range. This move appears to be fueled by algorithmic trading and options market activity, particularly the URI20260109C890 call option, which has seen 876.97% price change and 10,324 turnover.

High-Leverage Call Options and S&P 500 ETFs Signal Aggressive Bullish Play
• 200-day average: $803.11 (below current price)
• RSI: 53.8 (neutral)
• MACD: -1.42 (bullish divergence)
• Bollinger Bands: Price at $893.32 exceeds upper band ($842.58)
URI’s technicals suggest a continuation of the intraday rally. Key levels to watch include the 200-day MA ($803.11) as support and the 52-week high ($1,021.47) as resistance. Leveraged S&P 500 ETFs like SPXL (2.02% change) and SSO (1.36% change) could amplify exposure to a broader market rally. For options, two contracts stand out:

• URI20260109C890 (Call, $890 strike, 2026-01-09 expiry):
- IV: 35.99% (moderate)
- Leverage Ratio: 55.33% (high)
- Delta: 0.53 (moderate sensitivity)
- Theta: -4.52 (rapid time decay)
- Gamma: 0.0106 (moderate price sensitivity)
- Turnover: 10,324 (high liquidity)
This contract offers a 55x leverage on a 5% upside (target price: $937.99), with a projected payoff of $47.99 per contract. Its moderate delta and high gamma make it ideal for a short-term bullish bet.

• URI20260109C895 (Call, $895 strike, 2026-01-09 expiry):
- IV: 34.53% (moderate)
- Leverage Ratio: 68.24% (high)
- Delta: 0.48 (moderate sensitivity)
- Theta: -4.17 (rapid time decay)
- Gamma: 0.0111 (moderate price sensitivity)
- Turnover: 2,614 (reasonable liquidity)
This option provides 68x leverage on the same 5% upside, with a projected payoff of $42.99. Its lower delta and higher gamma suggest it could outperform if volatility spikes.

Aggressive bulls should consider URI20260109C890 into a break above $905.65 (intraday high).

Backtest United Rentals Stock Performance
The backtest of URI's performance after a 6% intraday increase from 2022 to now shows favorable results. The 3-Day win rate is 53.23%, the 10-Day win rate is 56.16%, and the 30-Day win rate is 60.08%, indicating that URI tends to have positive short-to-medium-term gains following the 6% surge. The maximum return during the backtest was 6.76% over 30 days, suggesting that URI can capitalize on the intraday increase to deliver decent overall returns.

URI’s Breakout Demands Immediate Attention – Here’s How to Position
URI’s 5.7% intraday surge is a high-conviction technical breakout, supported by a bullish MACD divergence and a price move above key moving averages. While the sector leader Hertz (HTZ) has only gained 0.57%, the move appears stock-specific, driven by options liquidity and algorithmic momentum. Traders should monitor the $905.65 intraday high as a critical resistance level and the 200-day MA ($803.11) as a potential support. For leveraged exposure, SPXL and SSO offer amplified S&P 500 alignment. If URI closes above $900, the URI20260109C890 call could deliver outsized returns. Watch for a $905.65 breakout or a pullback to $858.50 (intraday low) to confirm the trend.