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How is the VIX calculated?

• It uses a weighted average of their implied volatilities, focusing on out-of-the-money options which tend to react more strongly to changes in sentiment.
• You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any financial transaction.
• The Cboe Volatility Index, or the “VIX,” is a measure of the US stock market’s 30-day expected volatility—or how much and how quickly stock prices are anticipated to change.

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It then started using a wider set of options based on the broader S&P 500 Index, an expansion that allows for a more accurate view of investors’ expectations of future market volatility. A methodology was adopted that remains in effect and is also used for calculating various other variants of the volatility index. The index is more commonly known by its ticker symbol and is often referred to simply as “the VIX.” It was created by the CBOE Options Exchange and is maintained by CBOE Global Markets. It is an important index in the world of trading and investment because it provides a quantifiable measure of market risk and investors’ sentiments. While it’s not a crystal ball, the VIX gives investors and market professionals data for making well-informed decisions. But like any metric, it should be considered as part of a broader investment strategy.

Only SPX options are considered whose expiry period lies between 23 and 37 days. The VIX was the first benchmark index introduced by CBOE to measure the market’s expectation of future volatility. Yes, there are several ETFs and ETNs designed to track VIX futures, offering exposure to volatility without directly trading options or futures.

How To Use The VIX Index: Practical Applications For Investors

However, it’s important to note that the VIX index is not a perfect prediction tool, as it reflects the collective expectations of market participants, which may sometimes deviate from actual situations. The price of these options is influenced by several factors, including the current stock price, the strike price, the time until expiration, and, crucially, the expected volatility of the underlying stock. The VIX index distills all the information from these options prices to generate a single number representing market expectations of volatility. A VIX of above 20 could be considered high, but it can potentially go much higher.

In reality, the VIX simply measures expected volatility – the magnitude of potential price movements – without indicating direction. A high VIX reading doesn’t necessarily mean stocks will fall, just as a low reading doesn’t guarantee market stability. The index merely tells us how much movement investors expect, whether up or down. The year 2003 marked a pivotal moment in the VIX’s evolution when it underwent a significant methodology update, shifting its calculation to S&P 500 (SPX) options. This transformation made the index more comprehensive and representative of broader market sentiment.

Understanding the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) in Investing

Before we try to understand how the VIX is calculated, it’s important to grasp the basics of options contracts. You pay a premium for the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a stock at a specific price (called the strike price) by a specific date (the expiration date). Cboe uses a complex calculation to arrive at the VIX—a number that changes in real-time throughout the day like stock and other index prices. The calculation takes into account the real-time average prices between the bid and ask for options with various future expiration dates. There’s more to it, but basically, the VIX is calculated as the square root of the expectation of price changes in the S&P 500 over the next 30 days. The higher the VIX, the greater the level of fear and uncertainty in the market, with levels above 30 indicating tremendous uncertainty.

While the formula is mathematically complex, it theoretically estimates the S&P 500 Index volatility by averaging the weighted prices of various SPX puts and calls across many strike prices. Copyright © 2025 FactSet Research Systems Inc.Copyright © 2025, American Bankers Association. SEC fillings and other documents provided by Quartr.© 2025 TradingView, Inc. These dramatic increases were short-lived, and the index eventually returned to more typical levels. While a rising VIX can indicate increasing risk, it is not a definitive predictor of market crashes but rather signals heightened market uncertainty.

• Trading the VIX with these securities could be a hedging strategy, but like all investments, it carries risk, including the potential for volatility in the value of the VIX.
• However, whether the VIX is considered low is relative and depends also on what’s been happening recently.
• Traders making bets through options of such high beta stocks utilize the VIX volatility values in proportion to correctly price their options trades.

How the VIX works to forecast market volatility

As a rule of thumb, VIX values greater than 30 are generally linked to significant volatility resulting from increased uncertainty, risk, and investors’ fear. VIX values below 20 generally correspond to stable, stress-free periods in the markets. VIX options are contracts that give investors the right, but not the obligation, to trade the VIX futures at a predetermined price before expiration.

Understanding the VIX: What every investor should know about the volatility index

Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS), a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC. Based on the Federal Reserve of St. investment strategies guide Louis data, a value of less than 20 could be considered relatively low, meaning that investors don’t tend to expect large future price swings. However, whether the VIX is considered low is relative and depends also on what’s been happening recently.

Investors can judge the level of market panic by observing changes in the VIX index and adjust their investment strategies accordingly. Typically, the VIX index shows a negative correlation with stock market trends, meaning that when the stock market falls, the VIX index tends to rise, and vice versa. This characteristic makes the VIX index an important tool in portfolio management, allowing investors to hedge market risks through VIX-related products. Often referred to as the “fear gauge,” the VIX captures the market’s expectations of volatility over the next 30 days, as implied by options on the S&P 500 Index. When the VIX is high, it suggests that investors anticipate significant market changes, while a low VIX implies a stable, less volatile market outlook.

The second method, which the VIX uses, involves inferring its value as implied by options prices. Options are derivative instruments whose price depends upon the probability of a particular stock’s current price moving enough to reach a particular level (called the strike price or exercise price). The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), also known as the Fear Index, measures expected market volatility using a portfolio of options on the S&P 500.

Rather than tracking past market performance, the VIX provides a snapshot of expected future volatility. It does this by analyzing the prices of S&P 500 index options—contracts that allow investors to buy or sell the index at a predetermined price on or before a future date. When investors anticipate significant price swings, option premiums tend to increase, which then drives the VIX higher. Known as the market’s “fear gauge,” the VIX often spikes during times of uncertainty and investor anxiety. Understanding the VIX can provide valuable insight into market expectations and investor sentiment, helping you to manage investment risk and make more informed decisions.

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Imagine the stock market has been steadily climbing for months, and the VIX index is hovering around 12. This suggests investors are complacent and not expecting much volatility. However, news breaks that a major global event (e.g., a geopolitical crisis, a major economic announcement) is imminent. Investors become concerned about the potential impact on the market and start buying put options to protect their portfolios. This signals increased uncertainty and the potential for a market correction. The VIX index is called the “fear index” because of its close relationship with market panic sentiment.

In conclusion, the VIX fear index is an important technical indicator in modern financial markets that reflects market sentiment by measuring expectations of future volatility. As a “fear index,” it not only helps investors better understand market sentiment but also provides important references for risk management. By correctly understanding and using the VIX index, investors can better grasp market trends and make more informed investment decisions. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), often referred to as the “Fear Index,” provides a benchmark for the market’s future volatility expectations.

How To Compare Stock Performance: A Smart Investor’s Guide

Created by the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), the VIX gives a number that shows how much the S&P 500 index might swing in the coming month. Often called Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” it tries to capture investor nerves and uncertainty by crunching the numbers from S&P 500 options prices. VIX futures are derivatives based on the VIX Index, allowing investors to trade on future volatility expectations. Investors use the VIX to gauge market sentiment, manage risk, and inform trading and hedging strategies, especially in options trading.

Morgan offers insights, expertise and tools to help you reach your goals. Products, accounts and services are offered through different service models (for example, self-directed, full-service). Based on the service model, the same or similar products, accounts and services may vary in their price or fees charged to a client. The VIX can fluctuate at different levels depending on market conditions, so it may be impossible to peg a “normal” value. Options and futures based on VIX products are available for trading on the CBOE and CFE platforms, respectively.