2008 VIX Records and Milestones

Highest VIX Level: The VIX Index reached its all-time intraday high of 89.53 on October 24, 2008. (Prior to 2008, the highest VIX level was 49.53 on October 8, 1998.)

Highest Daily Closing VIX Level: The VIX Index closed at a record 80.86 on November 20, 2008. (The highest daily closing VIX price in previous years was 45.74 on October 8, 1998.)

Highest Premiums for Index Options Strategy: On November 21, 2008 the CBOE S&P 500 BuyWrite Index (BXM) generated a record high 8.1% gross monthly premium. The highest BXM gross monthly premium generated in the previous twenty calendar years was 4.4% on September 21, 2001.

Highest Average Level: The VIX Index had its highest average daily closing price of 32.65 for the year of 2008, surpassing its previous high average daily closing price of 27.30 in 2002.

Sustained High Volatility: The VIX Index closed above 50 on fifty trading days in 2008. (The VIX had never reached 50 before 2008.)

Record Volatility of Volatility: The VIX Index had daily movements of 10 percent or more (up or down) on a record high 45 days in 2008 (the previous record was 42 days in 2007).

Record Highs for Other Volatility Indexes: In addition to the VIX, three other volatility indexes had record high closing levels on November 20, 2008 - the CBOE S&P 500 3-Month Volatility Index (VXV) at 69.24, CBOE Russell 2000 Volatility Index (RVX) at 87.62, and CBOE DJIA Volatility Index (VXD) at 74.60. Other record highs in 2008 included 30.66 for the CBOE EuroCurrency Volatility Index (EVZ) on October 31, 2008, 64.53 for the GVZ - CBOE Gold Volatility Index (GVZ) on October 10, 2008, and 100.42 for the CBOE Crude Oil Volatility Index (OVX) on December 11, 2008.

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