VIX Volatility index
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008VIX Volatility index:
The value of VIX increases when the market declines and decreases when the market rises. It seems that volatility would be a two-way street. The stock market, on the other hand, has a bullish bias. A rising stock market is viewed as less risky, and a declining stock market more risky. The higher the perceived risk is in stocks, the higher the implied volatility and the more expensive the associated options, especially puts. Hence, implied volatility is not about the size of the price swings, but rather the implied risk associated with the stock market. When the market declines, the demand for puts usually increases. Increased demand means higher put prices and higher implied volatilities.
