Volatility Views

VIX surges while we're recording, turning an already unsettled market into a wild ride for volatility traders. On this episode, Mark Longo and Russell Rhoads welcome Dr. Larissa Adamiec, Clinical Associate Professor at Purdue University, to unpack the sudden jump in market fear, shifting VIX futures prices and a rush of options activity.
Are inflation concerns, rising Treasury yields and worries about AI valuations rattling investors? The panel explores the potential catalysts and what the relationship between VIX and its futures may reveal about market anxiety.
Plus, Russell breaks down notable VIX options trades, including deep in-the-money put spreads and the debate over risk, margin and capital efficiency. We also track the action in SVIX, UVIX, UVXY and VXX, discuss broker restrictions on volatility products and revisit our weekly Crystal Ball predictions after a move nobody saw coming.

Volatility spikes are giving traders little time to cash in—but that hasn't stopped someone from scooping up five-cent VIX lottery tickets. Mark Longo, Russell Rhoads and Scott Nations break down a whipsaw week for stocks, the brief return of demand for downside protection and the challenges of capturing gains when VIX rallies quickly fade.
On this episode of Volatility Views, the panel debates whether perpetual VIX futures could bring traders closer to tradable spot VIX—or disrupt the existing volatility market. They also examine unusual VIX options activity, including November 110 calls, deep-in-the-money put spreads and a call ratio spread positioned for a modest volatility rebound.
Plus, Mark explains why he closed out his SVIX position, Scott discusses the new edition of Options Math for Traders, and the panel delivers its latest VIX and VOLI forecasts.
Topics include VIX futures and term structure, volatility skew, election risk, weak market breadth, SVIX, UVXY, VXX and managing bullish volatility trades.

Weak jobs data sends stocks higher, VIX futures remain stubbornly elevated above spot, and volatility products deliver some puzzling results. Mark Longo, Dr. Russell Rhoads and Jim Carroll examine the conflicting signals driving the equity and volatility markets.
The panel breaks down VIX futures term structure, persistent contango and the risks surrounding a narrow, tech-led rally. They also debate the prospect of perpetual VIX futures and how funding rates and arbitrage could affect existing futures, options and volatility trading strategies.
Plus, Russell's Weekly Rundown explores unusual VIX options activity, including far out-of-the-money calls and deep in-the-money put spreads. The crew examines a sizable October-to-November call spread roll, compares the volatility ETP landscape across VXX, UVXY, UVIX, SVIX, SVXY and SVOL, and discusses a brokerage restriction that interrupts Russell's weekend volatility trade.
Then it's time for another fiercely contested round of VIX forecasts in the Crystal Ball.

VIX kept drifting lower even as the market swung through another eventful week. Mark Longo is joined by Russell Rhoads, Mark Sebastian and Brian Overby to examine the gap between current volatility and the risk priced into VIX futures.
The panel digs into heavy VIX call activity, unusual weekly options trades, the potential effect of midterm election options on VIX, and ways to structure a volatility trade when upside calls are expensive. They also revisit SVIX and UVIX, debate whether Treasury yields could become a bigger source of market stress, and make their VIX predictions for next week. Plus, Russell gives the editor a little extra censoring work.

The Fed delivered another volatile week, but the market's rapid rebound left VIX back in the mid-teens and raised fresh questions about whether traders are becoming too complacent.
Host Mark Longo and Russell Rhoads examine the market's reaction to the Fed, the widening gap between VIX cash and October VIX futures, growing concerns in the Treasury market, and the potential catalysts that could finally awaken volatility. They also break down the busiest VIX options trades of the week, including heavy upside call activity, renewed interest in VIX puts, an unusual multi-expiration spread, and the possibility of daily VIX expirations.
Plus, Russell's weekend UVIX strategy finally returns to the winner's circle, volatility traders target upside in VXX, and the hosts make their latest VIX predictions in the Crystal Ball.