
Wall Street’s benchmark reading of investor concern, often referred to as the “fear index,” is trading near the lowest levels of the year this week as a surprising summer rally has stocks hitting all-time highs. The Cboe Volatility Index, or designed as a real-time estimate of the expected daily moves for the based on equity options trading, was trading around 14.56 on Friday. At current levels, the VIX is suggesting daily swings of just 67 points for the S&P 500, in either direction, over the next 30 days, a muted level of movement in a market beset with concerns over Federal Reserve rate hikes, government debt and deficit figures, AI spending and investments, and the U.S. war with Iran.