This VIX Signal Is Not A Good Sign…

The Option Pit VIX Traffic Light Is Green: Volatility is likely to go up.

Hey Traders,


The S&P 500 (Ticker: SPX) ended Thursday up 35 points, nearly touching 3,800.


But the VIX actually closed up on the day!


This is usually not a good sign.


Considering the S&P 500 rallied, that means vol was up more significantly than just .10 points.


VIX should – because of its structure – fall significantly when the S&P rallies about 1%.


For VIX to be up, means there were vol buyers out there.


We tend to see this when the market is topping out.


This rally has been swift and small, and feels a bit like a bag holders rally …


The type of rally only people who are about to lose another 10-20% buy.


Now, I am not saying we are selling off…


But watch tomorrow if we have another day of “up SPX” and “up VIX,” or a flattish day with vol higher …


Look out.


I think the market is going to 3300 over the next few months, maybe lower …


VIX  will touch 40 again before this sell-off ends.


I would buy the 30-40-50 call fly in July against the cheap puts that I pointed out yesterday (which I still like).


Your Only Option,


Mark Sebastian

Mark Sebastian

Mark Sebastian

Mark Sebastian is a former member of both the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), where he spent years mastering the art of options trading in the most competitive environment imaginable. As Chief Investment Officer at the hedge fund Karman Line Capital, Mark manages sophisticated options strategies for institutional clients. He is the author of two highly regarded books on options trading: ‘The Option Traders Hedge Fund’ and ‘Trading Options for Edge.’ Mark is a frequent guest on major financial networks including CNBC, Fox Business News, Bloomberg, and First Business News, where he provides expert commentary on market volatility and options strategies.

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About the Author

Mark Sebastian

Mark Sebastian

Former CBOE floor trader and CIO at Karman Line Capital. Author of ‘The Option Traders Hedge Fund’ with over 30 years of options trading experience.

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