Declining Volatility: VIX Drops 5.4% as Market Fears Subside Ahead of 2026

The Cboe Volatility Index, known as the VIX, stands at a current sale price of 15.84 as of the latest close on January 15, 2026, according to FRED St. Louis Fed data. This reflects a percent change of negative 5.40 percent from the prior close of 16.75 on January 14, marking a decline in expected market volatility.

The drop follows a volatile week, with the VIX at 15.12 on January 12 and 14.49 on January 9, per FRED and Investing.com historical rates. Investing.com shows broader trends with daily swings, including a 4.35 percent gain to 15.12 earlier in the period amid S&P 500 fluctuations, then sharper drops like negative 9.35 percent and 8.57 percent in prior sessions. Recent CBOE VIX futures data indicates settling prices around 22.45 for January 2026 contracts, down slightly, signaling market expectations of moderating volatility ahead.

Underlying factors include stabilizing U.S. equity markets after bond yield rises to 4.23 percent on concerns over Fed Chair nominations, as noted in Barchart commentary, dampening rate cut speculation. Equity retracements from highs due to stretched valuations and cooling economy have eased volatility premiums, per CBOE insights. Implied volatilities rose modestly last week on economic data anticipation but fell post-Fed meeting, with VIX gaining modestly despite rallies in "spot up, vol up" dynamics.

Overall, the VIX trend points downward from mid-teens peaks, reflecting reduced fear in S&P 500 options pricing, though futures suggest caution into 2026.

Thank you for tuning in. Come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for me check out Quiet Please Dot A I.

For more http://www.quietplease.ai

Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI