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CBOE Volatility Index: VIX 14.21 for 

CBOE Volatility Index: VIX came in at 14.21 (Index) for Sep 22 2026, down 4.44% from 14.87 the prior day and 11.74% below its level of 16.1 one year ago. The series has averaged 20.11 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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⋮
September 22, 202614.21
September 21, 202614.87
September 18, 202614.81
September 17, 202615.44
September 16, 202617.71
September 15, 202617.2
September 14, 202617.1
September 11, 202615.84
September 10, 202617.84
September 9, 202616.46
September 8, 202615.72
September 7, 202615.3
September 4, 202614.53
September 3, 202614.32
September 2, 202615.2
September 1, 202616.34
August 31, 202614.92
August 28, 202614.43
August 27, 202614.51
August 26, 202615.21
⋮
⋮
June 14, 201118.26
June 13, 201119.61
June 10, 201118.86
June 9, 201117.77
June 8, 201118.79
June 7, 201118.07
June 6, 201118.49
June 3, 201117.95
June 2, 201118.09
June 1, 201118.3
May 31, 201115.45
May 27, 201115.98
May 26, 201116.09
May 25, 201117.07
May 24, 201117.82
May 23, 201118.27
May 20, 201117.43
May 19, 201115.52
May 18, 201116.23
May 17, 201117.55

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 14.21 (Index) as of September 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 updatedSeptember 23, 2026
Seasonal adjustmentNot Seasonally Adjusted
UnitIndex

Stats
Last Value14.21
Latest PeriodSep 22 2026
Last UpdatedSeptember 23 2026, 08:37
Value Previous Day14.87
Change From Previous Day-4.44%
Value 1 Year Ago16.1
Change From Year Ago-11.74%
Average Growth Rate0.41%/yr
Record High (Mar 2020)82.69
Record Low (Nov 2017)9.14
Long-Term Average20.11
FrequencyDaily
AdjustmentNot Seasonally Adjusted
UnitIndex

Annual Averages
202618.31
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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