How Does My VIX Traffic Light Work

The Option Pit VIX Light is RED, and Volatility Is Likely to Drop.


Hey Traders,


Every day at the top of this letter, I reference the Option Pit VIX Light.


It’s a proprietary tool that I’ve developed over 20 years as a trader to help guide my trading strategy


And I have walked through them a couple of times, including here.

There are four main components, and the first is …


VIX Term Structure: How the VIX is related to VIX futures.


Is the VIX in a contango? That’s when VIX term structure looks like it does in the chart below …



This is also what the VIX futures looked like at the close on Wednesday (March 24).


Contango is an industry term for the VIX trading beneath month 1 (April, in this case) and Month 1 trading below Month 2 (May), etc.


As bad as the two days have been, I’m not worried about a major spike in volatility because the futures term structure has held pretty constant — despite a 50-point drop in the S&P 500.


Now, when we enter backwardation, that is a different story.


Backwardation is a sign that the market is really stressed, and it’s when the VIX term structure looks like this:



As you can see, VIX is trading above Month 1. Month 1 is above Month 2,  etc.


When we see this, the market is stressed …


And this is what the VIX term structure looked like exactly one year prior to Wednesday, on March 24, 2020.


You’ll recall things were a little unstable at the time.


Anyway, this is the most important part of how the Option Pit VIX Light works.


It is the basis by which I am able to determine whether to be naked long or to have a hedge on.


Using it has helped me avoid major corrections (like the one in March of 2020), and to hop in long like I did in earlier this month when the VIX had a major spike.


Now …


There are three other factors that go into the VIX Light 


And I could walk you through exactly how I use these here …


But I would rather show you.


That is why TODAY I am going to demonstrate how I use the VIX Light … WHILE ALSO LIVE TRADING starting at 9:30 EST.


Not only that, but throughout the day I will have a host of other speakers showing you the ins and outs of volatility, technical analysis, politics and the Fed.


Heck, we even have a Crypto expert lined up!


It’s all part of the first-ever Option Pit Round Robin mentoring event …


But I need you to join me LIVE, because I am not going to share the recording. This the type of stuff my students PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR.


And you can register for free right here!

Yes, we’re making this unprecedented access available to you for free — and for today only!


I hope you can join me.


Oh, and one more thing …


The Option Pit VIX Light is RED, and Volatility Is Likely to Drop.


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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