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CBOE Volatility Index: VIX 15.19 for 

CBOE Volatility Index: VIX came in at 15.19 (Index) for Aug 17 2026, up 6.60% from 14.25 the prior day and 0.66% above its level of 15.09 one year ago. The series has averaged 20.11 since 1995, 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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August 17, 202615.19
August 14, 202614.25
August 13, 202614.63
August 12, 202614.55
August 11, 202615.28
August 10, 202615.46
August 7, 202614.9
August 6, 202615.15
August 5, 202615.81
August 4, 202616.5
August 3, 202615.86
July 31, 202615.99
July 30, 202617.09
July 29, 202620.66
July 28, 202618.21
July 27, 202618.67
July 24, 202618.58
July 23, 202618.7
July 22, 202616.64
July 21, 202617.05
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⋮
May 9, 201117.16
May 6, 201118.4
May 5, 201118.2
May 4, 201117.08
May 3, 201116.7
May 2, 201115.99
April 29, 201114.75
April 28, 201114.62
April 27, 201115.35
April 26, 201115.62
April 25, 201115.77
April 21, 201114.69
April 20, 201115.07
April 19, 201115.83
April 18, 201116.96
April 15, 201115.32
April 14, 201116.27
April 13, 201116.92
April 12, 201117.09
April 11, 201116.59

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 15.19 (Index) as of August 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 updatedAugust 18, 2026
Seasonal adjustmentNot Seasonally Adjusted
UnitIndex

Stats
Last Value15.19
Latest PeriodAug 17 2026
Last UpdatedAugust 18 2026, 08:37
Value Previous Day14.25
Change From Previous Day6.60%
Value 1 Year Ago15.09
Change From Year Ago0.66%
Average Growth Rate0.47%/yr
Record High (Mar 2020)82.69
Record Low (Nov 2017)9.14
Long-Term Average20.11
FrequencyDaily
AdjustmentNot Seasonally Adjusted
UnitIndex

Annual Averages
202618.76
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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