SPY is down over 20% and the VIX is at ~27!! Extremely low in relation to current market conditions. Based on the Fed’s recent economic projection, unemployment is set to rise 0.6% in 2023!!! In turn a drop of PCE inflation from 5.4% to 2.8% is projected. Implicating a US recession and a possible global recession. Pivoting Powell is donning the Volker mask and risk assets are not safe… The VIX has been making higher lows since June 2021 but is extremely low for the level of uncertainty in the market and it is currently incorrectly priced. As a recession inches closer, market sentiment will degrade and the VIX may explore its upside potential. In markets, volatility is measured in expected terms because participants speculate on future market conditions. Measures of volatility use option pricing as inputs. As volatility increases, option prices increase. Options prices are based on time duration (how long until the option expires) and price variation (how far the strike is from the current price). By aggregating this data, volatility models are able to encompass the markets expectation of price variation (volatility) in the underlying asset.
VIX:
The most common measures of Volatility is the VIX. This index is a forward looking indicator of volatility that indicates the level of uncertainty in the SPX marketplace. In more technical terms: VIX measures 30 day expected Volatility of the SPX futures market. The VIX uses SPX Option prices because SPX Options reflect the market’s expectations of future volatility. (SPX Options Puts/Calls are more expensive when volatility is higher). SPX options reflect the amount investors are willing to pay for options (put or call) indicating the expected movement in SPX. The VIX Index (also known as the sigma index) is represented as an annualized 1-standard deviation measure of return on SP500. With SPX at $400 and the VIX at 27. There is a 68% chance (1std), SPX will be -/+ 27% one year later. Calculations can also be made for the market’s expectation: for 1 month: 27/sqrt(12months)= +/- 7.8% expected move, one month later: , 1 week: 27/sqrt(52weeks)= +/- 3.7% expected move, one week later: and 1 day: 27/sqrt(256tradingdays)= +/- 1.7% expected move, one day later. As the VIX rises the future value of SPX becomes more uncertain. For context, in March 2020 the VIX reached a +/- 80% expected move in the SPX. When VIX options are incorrectly priced in relation to market conditions both bulls and bears can profit by utilizing options. Bulls can buy options on their bullish stocks instead of purchasing shares out-right because even if the underlying asset price doesn’t increase much; their option appreciates with volatility. Bears will find their put options appreciate with the increase in Volatility while, the underlying asset price falls as well.
VVIX:
Just as the VIX is calculated by using SPX options as inputs. The VVIX is calculated by using VIX options. VVIX is a measure of the change of volatility in the VIX volatility index and in particular focuses on the magnitude of SPX Volatility. When VIX is high, that means option prices of the SPX is high, which means investors want to sell premium on the VIX. (If options are expensive, there is incentive to sell options). The VVIX can be used to better understand the VIX. When VIX and VVIX are low, strategies that benefit off increased volatility (ex. Debit call spread) will benefit. VVIX is rate variable and reverts to the mean of around 70-90. VVIX just came down from 160 in January 2022 and now is at 90. Even though this is an average level, volatility should be more elevated in the midst of a tightening cycle.
SKEW:
SKEW measures the Slope of Implied Volatility which is probability that the one-month S&P 500 log-return falls two or three standard deviations below the mean. When SKEW is equal to 100, the distribution of S&P 500 log-returns is normal, and the probability of returns two standard devations below or above the mean is 4.6% (2.3% on each side); the probability decreases to .3% (.15% on each side) for three standard deviations. For every five point move in the SKEW index adds or subtracts around 1.3 or 1.4 percentage points to the risk of a two-standard deviation move. Unlike the VIX, the SKEW index looks at implied volatility of SPX Out of The Money (OTM) puts. Skew tells us that calls are expensive and puts are cheap. Skew is a measure of the relationship of OTM puts to OTM calls. SKEW is known as being the indicator of a BlackSwan Event. As demand of OTM puts rise, SKEW rises. SKEW looks prime for an upward move and the VIX will likely join.
VIX:
The most common measures of Volatility is the VIX. This index is a forward looking indicator of volatility that indicates the level of uncertainty in the SPX marketplace. In more technical terms: VIX measures 30 day expected Volatility of the SPX futures market. The VIX uses SPX Option prices because SPX Options reflect the market’s expectations of future volatility. (SPX Options Puts/Calls are more expensive when volatility is higher). SPX options reflect the amount investors are willing to pay for options (put or call) indicating the expected movement in SPX. The VIX Index (also known as the sigma index) is represented as an annualized 1-standard deviation measure of return on SP500. With SPX at $400 and the VIX at 27. There is a 68% chance (1std), SPX will be -/+ 27% one year later. Calculations can also be made for the market’s expectation: for 1 month: 27/sqrt(12months)= +/- 7.8% expected move, one month later: , 1 week: 27/sqrt(52weeks)= +/- 3.7% expected move, one week later: and 1 day: 27/sqrt(256tradingdays)= +/- 1.7% expected move, one day later. As the VIX rises the future value of SPX becomes more uncertain. For context, in March 2020 the VIX reached a +/- 80% expected move in the SPX. When VIX options are incorrectly priced in relation to market conditions both bulls and bears can profit by utilizing options. Bulls can buy options on their bullish stocks instead of purchasing shares out-right because even if the underlying asset price doesn’t increase much; their option appreciates with volatility. Bears will find their put options appreciate with the increase in Volatility while, the underlying asset price falls as well.
VVIX:
Just as the VIX is calculated by using SPX options as inputs. The VVIX is calculated by using VIX options. VVIX is a measure of the change of volatility in the VIX volatility index and in particular focuses on the magnitude of SPX Volatility. When VIX is high, that means option prices of the SPX is high, which means investors want to sell premium on the VIX. (If options are expensive, there is incentive to sell options). The VVIX can be used to better understand the VIX. When VIX and VVIX are low, strategies that benefit off increased volatility (ex. Debit call spread) will benefit. VVIX is rate variable and reverts to the mean of around 70-90. VVIX just came down from 160 in January 2022 and now is at 90. Even though this is an average level, volatility should be more elevated in the midst of a tightening cycle.
SKEW:
SKEW measures the Slope of Implied Volatility which is probability that the one-month S&P 500 log-return falls two or three standard deviations below the mean. When SKEW is equal to 100, the distribution of S&P 500 log-returns is normal, and the probability of returns two standard devations below or above the mean is 4.6% (2.3% on each side); the probability decreases to .3% (.15% on each side) for three standard deviations. For every five point move in the SKEW index adds or subtracts around 1.3 or 1.4 percentage points to the risk of a two-standard deviation move. Unlike the VIX, the SKEW index looks at implied volatility of SPX Out of The Money (OTM) puts. Skew tells us that calls are expensive and puts are cheap. Skew is a measure of the relationship of OTM puts to OTM calls. SKEW is known as being the indicator of a BlackSwan Event. As demand of OTM puts rise, SKEW rises. SKEW looks prime for an upward move and the VIX will likely join.
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Thanks for reading :,)