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The $VIX is up over 60% today! What does history tell us about the next 3, 6, and 12 months?
Since 1990, there have been 10 historical instances where the VIX closed up 50% or more in a single day, counting clustered spikes as one event.
Here's how the S&P 500 performed afterward:
3 months: +7.5% median return (70% positive)
6 months: +7.7% median return (80% positive)
12 months: +13.2% median return (80% positive)
Pretty interesting, right?
But here's the catch. A massive VIX spike doesn't necessarily mean the market has bottomed. In 1990, stocks continued declining during the recession, while the November 2021 spike preceded the 2022 bear market.
The key is what happens after the spike. Does volatility start cooling? Do indexes establish higher lows? Are leading stocks showing relative strength? Do we get a Follow-Through Day (FTD)?
These are some of the signals worth paying attention to over the coming weeks.
Historically, the odds have favored higher prices over the following 6-12 months, but that doesn't mean we can't experience further downside before the recovery begins.
One important distinction: Today's 60% VIX spike is an intraday reading, while the historical study uses closing prices.
History doesn't repeat itself exactly, but it can give us a useful framework for understanding what might happen next!
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