Volatility Views 639: The Great VIX Volume Debate

In this episode of Volatility Views, Mark Longo, Russell Rhoads (Kelley School of Business - Indiana University), and Andrew Giovinazzi (The Option Pit) return after the July 4th holiday to delve into recent market volatility. The discussion covers the impact of tariff announcements on Brazil and Canada, leading to increased volume in VIX futures and options. Key highlights include significant trades like the Aug 25/35 vertical spread, the activity in the July 17 puts, and the unusual million-contract VIX options day amid dropping volatility. They also discuss the term structure of VIX futures, significant contango, and volatility ETPs such as SVIX, VXX, and UVXY. The episode wraps up with predictions for the VIX index for the coming week.   01:05 Welcome to Volatility Views 01:54 Post-July 4th Market Recap 05:46 Volatility Review 06:58 Market Reactions and Trade War Impact 09:35 VIX Analysis and Predictions 18:06 Historical VIX Patterns and Future Projections 27:58 Russell's Weekly Rundown 32:57 Analyzing Recent Trades 34:28 VIX Options Activity Breakdown 36:34 High Volume Day Analysis 46:14 Mentorship and Market Reactions 50:55 Volatility ETPs Overview 54:42 Crystal Ball Predictions 01:01:17 Closing Remarks and Resources