Volatility

VIX at 18.38: Markets Dial Back Fear After Week of Volatility The VIX currently stands at 18.38, marking a meaningful pullback from the elevated readings that dominated early May. This represents a 6.92% single-day jump from May 8, but it tells only half the story. What matters more is the structure underneath-and whether this calm…

VIX at 17.19: Below the Median, but Structure Tells Another Story The VIX closed at 17.19 on May 8, 2026-a reading that sits fractionally below the two-year median of 17.24. On the surface, that looks reassuring. But the term structure is worth examining carefully, because it reveals something the spot price alone doesn’t: the market…

VIX at 17.08: Below the Median, But Structure Matters More The VIX closed at 17.08 on May 7, 2026-a quiet descent of 0.31 points from the prior day. On the surface, this reads as calm. Below the two-year median of 17.24. Sitting in the 25th percentile of the past year’s distribution. For traders accustomed to…

VIX at 17.39: Volatility Is Taking Its Time to Settle The VIX closed at 17.39 on May 6, 2026-essentially flat from yesterday but climbing steadily over the past five days. What matters isn’t the single-day stagnation. What matters is that we’re sitting below the historical mean (19.46) yet well above the median (17.24), caught in…

VIX at 17.38: Volatility Retreating From Multi-Month Highs The VIX currently stands at 17.38, down nearly 5% from yesterday’s 18.29 close. Markets are pricing in calm after a brutal March and April that pushed volatility well above the long-term mean. Traders navigating this week face a critical question: is this retreat sustainable, or merely a…

VIX at 18.29: Why the Market Hasn’t Decided Yet The VIX sits at 18.29 today, up 7.65% from yesterday’s close. That’s a meaningful jump, but not a spike that screams panic. What matters more is what this level tells us about market expectations over the next month and beyond-and right now, the structure is telling…

VIX at 16.99: Calm Before What Comes Next The VIX currently sits at 16.99, nearly flat from yesterday’s 16.89 close and down 5.72% over the past week. That’s textbook low volatility territory-well below the two-year median of 17.24 and significantly below the long-term mean of 19.46. Traders expecting fireworks should look elsewhere. For a full…

VIX at 16.89: Markets Shift Toward Calm After April Turbulence Volatility declined sharply on April 30, 2026, as the VIX closed at 16.89-a 10.21% drop from the prior session. This marks meaningful relief after April’s sustained elevation, signaling that near-term fear has receded below its two-year historical median. Traders entering May should understand what this…