Oklo Skyrockets 12.26% – What’s Fueling This Nuclear Surge?

Summary
• Oklo (OKLO) forms strategic alliance with Liberty Energy to deploy integrated power solutions for data centers and industrial facilities.
• Shares hit a record high of $76.20, surging 12.26% from $66.97 in a volatile session.
• Citigroup raises price target to $68 from $30, citing Aurora reactor potential.

Oklo’s stock has ignited a firestorm in the nuclear sector, surging 12.26% to $75.18 in a single session. The move follows a landmark partnership with Liberty Energy and regulatory progress on its Aurora reactor. With the stock trading near its 52-week high and options chains surging, investors are scrambling to decode whether this is a parabolic play or a sustainable inflection point.

Strategic Alliance and Regulatory Milestones Ignite OKLO
Oklo’s 12.26% surge is directly tied to its strategic alliance with Liberty Energy, which combines Liberty’s natural gas power solutions with Oklo’s advanced nuclear reactors to create a turnkey energy platform for large-scale customers. The partnership, announced on July 23, positions Oklo as a leader in decarbonized baseload power, addressing immediate energy needs while offering a path to zero-carbon solutions. Additionally, Oklo’s recent completion of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s pre-application readiness assessment for its first Aurora powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory removed a major regulatory hurdle. The stock also benefited from Citigroup’s upgraded $68 price target, which reflects confidence in the Aurora reactor’s NPV potential.

Nuclear Sector Gains Momentum as OKLO Leads the Charge
The broader nuclear sector has seen renewed interest, with global developments such as Denmark’s thorium molten salt reactor studies and the U.S. government’s push for nuclear innovation. Oklo’s strategic alignment with Liberty Energy mirrors similar partnerships in the sector, such as Kairos Power’s collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. While peers like Global X Uranium ETF (URA) and Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (NUKZ) have seen modest gains, Oklo’s 12.26% move outperformed the sector, driven by its unique value proposition of combining immediate natural gas deployment with long-term nuclear scalability.

Options and ETFs to Capitalize on OKLO’s Momentum
• MACD: 3.435 (bullish), RSI: 70.2 (overbought), 200-day MA: $32.94 (far below current price)
• Bollinger Bands: Current price at $75.18 near upper band of $69.27, suggesting overbought conditions
• Kline pattern: Short-term and long-term bullish trends confirmed

Oklo’s technicals paint a picture of a stock in a strong uptrend, with momentum indicators suggesting a potential continuation. The RSI at 70.2 indicates overbought conditions, but the stock’s recent regulatory and strategic catalysts justify the move. The Defiance Daily Target 2x Long OKLO ETF (OKLL) surged 25.5% alongside the stock, amplifying exposure for leveraged bulls. For options traders, the OKLO20250801C75 call and OKLO20250801C76 call stand out:

• OKLO20250801C75 (Call, $75 strike, Aug 1):
- Implied Volatility: 94.50% (high)
- Delta: 0.528 (moderate)
- Theta: -0.417 (aggressive time decay)
- Gamma: 0.0358 (sensitive to price swings)
- Turnover: $3.7M (liquid)
- Leverage Ratio: 16.98% (high)
- Payoff at 5% upside (ST = $78.94): $3.94 per contract. This option balances leverage and liquidity, ideal for a continuation of the current rally.

• OKLO20250801C76 (Call, $76 strike, Aug 1):
- Implied Volatility: 99.00% (high)
- Delta: 0.496 (moderate)
- Theta: -0.419 (aggressive time decay)
- Gamma: 0.0343 (sensitive to price swings)
- Turnover: $921K (liquid)
- Leverage Ratio: 17.96% (high)
- Payoff at 5% upside (ST = $78.94): $2.94 per contract. This contract offers slightly lower premium but higher leverage, suiting aggressive bulls.

For conservative exposure, the Themes Uranium & Nuclear ETF (URAN) at 1.94% gains and Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (NUKZ) at 1.05% gains provide sector diversification. However, Oklo’s unique catalysts make its options the most compelling. Aggressive bulls should target a breakout above $76.20 (52-week high) to validate the next phase of the move.

Backtest Oklo Stock Performance
The backtest of OKLO's performance after an intraday percentage change of more than 12% shows favorable short-to-medium-term gains, highlighting the ETF's potential for capturing significant market movements. The 3-Day win rate is 56.55%, the 10-Day win rate is 64.83%, and the 30-Day win rate is 66.90%, indicating a higher probability of positive returns in the immediate aftermath of such strong intraday gains. The maximum return during the backtest period was 55.41%, which occurred on day 59 after the initial surge, suggesting that OKLO can deliver substantial gains even weeks after an initial strong day.

The Nuclear Surge Continues – What to Watch Next
Oklo’s 12.26% surge is a testament to the market’s belief in its strategic alliance and regulatory progress. While the RSI suggests overbought conditions, the stock’s momentum and sector tailwinds justify a bullish stance. Key levels to watch include the $76.20 52-week high and the $69.27 upper Bollinger Band. If the stock holds above $65.81 (intraday low), the uptrend remains intact. Meanwhile, the sector leader Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) at -0.06% highlights Oklo’s outperformance. Investors should prioritize the OKLO20250801C75 call for a potential breakout above $76.20, with a stop-loss below $69.27 to protect gains.