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CBOE Volatility Index: VIX 15.21 for 

CBOE Volatility Index: VIX came in at 15.21 (Index) for Oct 12 2026, up 2.49% from 14.84 the prior day and 29.78% below its level of 21.66 one year ago. The series has averaged 20.12 since 1996, reaching a record high of 82.69 in March 2020 and a record low of 9.14 in November 2017.

Source: Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), St. Louis Fed

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Cite this data: "CBOE Volatility Index: VIX," MarketXLS. Data from Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED), St. Louis Fed. marketxls.com/indicators/vix-index

Historical Data

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⋮
October 12, 202615.21
October 9, 202614.84
October 8, 202615.41
October 7, 202615.08
October 6, 202615.01
October 5, 202615.52
October 2, 202615.31
October 1, 202616.39
September 30, 202616.34
September 29, 202616.04
September 28, 202616.07
September 25, 202614.87
September 24, 202615.67
September 23, 202615.18
September 22, 202614.21
September 21, 202614.87
September 18, 202614.81
September 17, 202615.44
September 16, 202617.71
September 15, 202617.2
⋮
⋮
July 5, 201116.06
July 1, 201115.87
June 30, 201116.52
June 29, 201117.27
June 28, 201119.17
June 27, 201120.56
June 24, 201121.1
June 23, 201119.29
June 22, 201118.52
June 21, 201118.86
June 20, 201119.99
June 17, 201121.85
June 16, 201122.73
June 15, 201121.32
June 14, 201118.26
June 13, 201119.61
June 10, 201118.86
June 9, 201117.77
June 8, 201118.79
June 7, 201118.07

About CBOE Volatility Index: VIX

What it measures

The CBOE Volatility Index (FRED series VIXCLS) measures the market expectation of S&P 500 volatility over the next thirty days, derived from a strip of index option prices across strikes. Cboe calculates it continuously during trading hours and FRED records the daily close. The value is stated in annualized percentage points of expected volatility.

Why it matters

Known as the fear gauge, the VIX condenses the price of equity insurance into one number. Portfolio managers use it to size hedges, risk models use it as a regime indicator, and a large ecosystem of futures, options, and ETPs settles against it. Spikes accompany selloffs because demand for protection rises exactly when prices fall.

How to read it

Readings in the low-to-mid teens indicate calm markets; the mid-twenties and above indicate elevated stress, and closes above forty are rare crisis territory, reached in 2008 and 2020 when the index topped eighty intraday. The VIX mean-reverts, so extreme highs tend to fade. It reflects expected volatility, not direction, and typically overstates the volatility subsequently realized.

Get CBOE Volatility Index: VIX in Excel

Pull CBOE Volatility Index: VIX directly into your spreadsheet with a single MarketXLS formula - always current, no copy-pasting:

=VIX()

View the CBOE Volatility Index formula documentation or browse all 100+ Economic Data functions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current CBOE Volatility Index: VIX?

CBOE Volatility Index: VIX is 15.21 (Index) as of October 2026.

What is the all-time high and low of CBOE Volatility Index: VIX?

The highest value on record is 82.69 (March 2020) and the lowest is 9.14 (November 2017).

How often is CBOE Volatility Index: VIX updated?

CBOE Volatility Index: VIX is published on a daily basis, sourced from Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).

How do I get CBOE Volatility Index: VIX in Excel?

Use the MarketXLS Excel formula =VIX() to pull CBOE Volatility Index: VIX directly into any cell, with historical values available for analysis.

Basic info
A popular measure of the stock market's expectation of volatility based on S&P 500 index options.
RegionUnited States
FrequencyDaily
Last updatedOctober 13, 2026
Seasonal adjustmentNot Seasonally Adjusted
UnitIndex

Stats
Last Value15.21
Latest PeriodOct 12 2026
Last UpdatedOctober 13 2026, 08:37
Value Previous Day14.84
Change From Previous Day2.49%
Value 1 Year Ago21.66
Change From Year Ago-29.78%
Average Growth Rate0.06%/yr
Record High (Mar 2020)82.69
Record Low (Nov 2017)9.14
Long-Term Average20.12
FrequencyDaily
AdjustmentNot Seasonally Adjusted
UnitIndex

Annual Averages
202618.12
202518.93
202415.55
202316.85
202225.64
202119.66
202029.25
201915.39
201816.64
201711.09
201615.83
201516.67

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