| Bets on higher stock-market volatility are at a record high, signaling increasing concern about the outlook for U.S. shares. Wagers by hedge funds and other speculative investors that futures tied to the CBOE Volatility Index will rise outstripped the number of bets on a falling VIX by 37,925 contracts as of Sept. 8.
That’s the biggest net bullish position on record, according to Schaeffer’s Investment Research’s analysis of data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission going back to 2005. A bullish bet on VIX futures signifies a belief that investors will be rushing for protection against market downdrafts. The VIX, the market’s “fear gauge,” is based on the prices of S&P 500 options, which tend to rise as stock prices decline...............................................Full Article: Source
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