Would you want to be an investor at times of such uncertainty? Why is it the man (or women) on the street who gets left in the dark gets battered by these violent swings? Simply, it is down to resources.
The brightest minds in the business who work for the likes of Morgan Stanley and other investment houses have clients with very deep pockets.
Not just deep but full of money.
During any big down turn in the market investors who diversify their portfolio will still lose money even if they are diversified, much more than they would like.
As classical diversification fails us, say hello to the VIX.
As markets slump the VIX will turn a hansom profit.
Spread betting allows retail investors to access products and markets that have usually only been the preserve of hedge funds.
Enter the VIX index.
The VIX provides a barometer of the level of fear in the stock market.
It's not important to understand the nuts and bolts of how it works.
Suffice to say it paints a picture of how nervous investors are.
The creator of the VIX index, Prof Robert Whaley, used it to measure the price paid to buy 30 day option contracts tied to the price of stocks bought and sold on the Save & Prosper 500.
An option gives the investor a choice to buy or sell shares at a set price at a certain point in the future.
Options tend to be used like an insurance policy against the value of share falling or rising.
The price paid for options contract is called the premium like an insurance contract.
The VIX index measures the interplay between options bought and sold and gives an indication of whether the market it going to tank.
The premium increases as participants in the market get 'the fear' and start to buy more 'put' options: the type of option where investors can sell shares are a set price even if the price slumps.
As the premiums rise so does the VIX index.
The VIX trades at the same time as US markets and between 2.
30pm and 9pm in the UK.
It is a looking glass into market sentiment.
This is something that 'in the know' people have cottoned onto.
So when does the VIX spike? Basically when you get Armageddon in the stock markets.
Think 1998 when the hedge fund Long-Term capital management collapsed in the US.
The September 11th terrorist attacks are an other example.
Recently when Lehman Brothers went to the wall the fear index peaked.
Other triggers could be a currency crisis or sovereign default.
Experts say that a level of anything above 30 signals a big move.
Moreover, the VIX index forms patterns a bit like a share chart.
If it breaks out of a trending or trading range this can be an indicator of a larger move.
Trading the VIX is like trading fear and is not a normal investment.
The easiest way to play the VIX index is via a spread betting account.
At times of trouble and maximum panic in the markets the VIX can double, triple, or more in no time at all.
Making it an excellent tool for hedging a portfolio or speculating on market turmoil.
Too hedge your portfolio or speculate against doomsday in the markets you can place a trade that tracks the price of the nearest dated monthly contract.
Alternatively you can place an open market order for a contract month in the future.
If a contract expires not in profit it is possible to let it roll over into the next month.
There is a cost associated with rolling over the contract so it's worth considering placing a market order at a point where you think that the price will carry on moving in a profitable direction.
Spread betting companies that allow you to spread bet 'fear' include CMC Market and IG Index.
CMC Markets call the fear gauge the "VOL INDEX".
The brightest minds in the business who work for the likes of Morgan Stanley and other investment houses have clients with very deep pockets.
Not just deep but full of money.
During any big down turn in the market investors who diversify their portfolio will still lose money even if they are diversified, much more than they would like.
As classical diversification fails us, say hello to the VIX.
As markets slump the VIX will turn a hansom profit.
Spread betting allows retail investors to access products and markets that have usually only been the preserve of hedge funds.
Enter the VIX index.
The VIX provides a barometer of the level of fear in the stock market.
It's not important to understand the nuts and bolts of how it works.
Suffice to say it paints a picture of how nervous investors are.
The creator of the VIX index, Prof Robert Whaley, used it to measure the price paid to buy 30 day option contracts tied to the price of stocks bought and sold on the Save & Prosper 500.
An option gives the investor a choice to buy or sell shares at a set price at a certain point in the future.
Options tend to be used like an insurance policy against the value of share falling or rising.
The price paid for options contract is called the premium like an insurance contract.
The VIX index measures the interplay between options bought and sold and gives an indication of whether the market it going to tank.
The premium increases as participants in the market get 'the fear' and start to buy more 'put' options: the type of option where investors can sell shares are a set price even if the price slumps.
As the premiums rise so does the VIX index.
The VIX trades at the same time as US markets and between 2.
30pm and 9pm in the UK.
It is a looking glass into market sentiment.
This is something that 'in the know' people have cottoned onto.
So when does the VIX spike? Basically when you get Armageddon in the stock markets.
Think 1998 when the hedge fund Long-Term capital management collapsed in the US.
The September 11th terrorist attacks are an other example.
Recently when Lehman Brothers went to the wall the fear index peaked.
Other triggers could be a currency crisis or sovereign default.
Experts say that a level of anything above 30 signals a big move.
Moreover, the VIX index forms patterns a bit like a share chart.
If it breaks out of a trending or trading range this can be an indicator of a larger move.
Trading the VIX is like trading fear and is not a normal investment.
The easiest way to play the VIX index is via a spread betting account.
At times of trouble and maximum panic in the markets the VIX can double, triple, or more in no time at all.
Making it an excellent tool for hedging a portfolio or speculating on market turmoil.
Too hedge your portfolio or speculate against doomsday in the markets you can place a trade that tracks the price of the nearest dated monthly contract.
Alternatively you can place an open market order for a contract month in the future.
If a contract expires not in profit it is possible to let it roll over into the next month.
There is a cost associated with rolling over the contract so it's worth considering placing a market order at a point where you think that the price will carry on moving in a profitable direction.
Spread betting companies that allow you to spread bet 'fear' include CMC Market and IG Index.
CMC Markets call the fear gauge the "VOL INDEX".
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