S&P 500 & VIX Volatility Index
Latest data: September 17, 2026 · Updated automatically from official sources
The S&P 500 tracks 500 of the largest U.S. publicly traded companies and is the most widely followed benchmark for the U.S. stock market. The VIX measures the volatility investors expect in the S&P 500 over the next 30 days, derived from options prices. It tends to spike when stocks fall far more than it drops when they rise, which is why it is nicknamed the market’s “fear gauge.”
Latest readings
- S&P 500 was 7,637.76 as of Sep 17, 2026, up 1.1% from the prior reading and up 15.7% from a year earlier.
- S&P 500 was up 15.7% year over year as of Sep 17, 2026, compared with 14.3% in the prior period and 17.1% a year earlier.
- VIX was 15.44 as of Sep 17, 2026, down 12.8% from the prior reading and down 1.8% from a year earlier.
S&P 500
VIX volatility index
VIX since 1990
Recent readings
| Period | S&P 500 (month-end) | Change | VIX (month-end) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 7,637.76 | -0.6% | 15.44 |
| Aug 2026 | 7,686.14 | +2.6% | 14.92 |
| Jul 2026 | 7,489.72 | -0.1% | 15.99 |
| Jun 2026 | 7,499.36 | -1.1% | 16.45 |
| May 2026 | 7,580.06 | +5.1% | 15.32 |
| Apr 2026 | 7,209.01 | +10.4% | 16.89 |
| Mar 2026 | 6,528.52 | -5.1% | 25.25 |
| Feb 2026 | 6,878.88 | -0.9% | 19.86 |
| Jan 2026 | 6,939.03 | +1.4% | 17.44 |
| Dec 2025 | 6,845.50 | -0.1% | 14.95 |
| Nov 2025 | 6,849.09 | +0.1% | 16.35 |
| Oct 2025 | 6,840.20 | +2.3% | 17.44 |
| Sep 2025 | 6,688.46 | — | 16.28 |
Key statistics
| Indicator | Latest | Year ago | 5-yr avg | Long-run avg | Record high | Record low | Data since |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,637.76 | 6,600.35 | 5,295.01 | 4,136.58 | 7,798.99 (Aug 2026) | 2,085.18 (Nov 2016) | 2016 |
| S&P 500 (YoY) | 15.7% | 17.1% | 13.3% | 14.0% | 74.8% (Mar 2021) | -21.0% (Dec 2022) | 2017 |
| VIX | 15.44 | 15.72 | 19.13 | 19.43 | 82.69 (Mar 2020) | 9.14 (Nov 2017) | 1990 |
How to read the VIX
A VIX reading is an annualized expected volatility in percent. A VIX of 20 implies the market expects the S&P 500 to move within roughly ±20% over a year (about ±5.8% over a month) about two-thirds of the time. Readings in the low teens indicate calm markets; readings above 30 signal stress, and the index has spiked above 80 only during extreme events such as the 2008 financial crisis and March 2020.
Stocks as an economic indicator
Stock prices reflect investors’ expectations of future corporate profits, discounted by interest rates. Because markets look ahead, stocks often fall before recessions begin and recover before they end — which is why the S&P 500 is a component of most leading-indicator composites. But the market also reacts to interest rates, valuations and sentiment, so it gives many false signals; as the old joke goes, the stock market has predicted nine of the last five recessions.
About the data
Index levels are daily closing prices. The S&P 500 shown is the price index, which excludes dividends, so long-run total returns are higher than the price change alone. Due to licensing, the free S&P 500 series is available only for roughly the past ten years.
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal VIX level?
Over its history since 1990, the VIX has averaged roughly 19 to 20. Readings below about 15 are considered calm; above 30 indicates significant market stress.
Does the S&P 500 include dividends?
The standard S&P 500 index measures price changes only. Total-return versions that reinvest dividends are published separately.
Related data
Data are retrieved automatically from the original statistical agencies (via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED database) and may be revised by the source. Year-over-year changes are calculated by econHQ. See About & methodology for details.