You're dealing with a constant

    VIX vs UVXY

    Posted by a_l_ on 29th of Jun 2015 at 03:49 pm

    You're dealing with a constant roll of a combination of the 2 front months of the VIX.

    Yes, sure, so day after

    Posted by bluezango on 29th of Jun 2015 at 03:56 pm

    Yes, sure, so day after day (for the (ETFs) you would lose in the long run as the time value of each futures contract expires over and over.  But for a single day, one would think they would go in unison, and with the right multiple.  Why not for a single day period?

    Basically because the back month

    Posted by a_l_ on 29th of Jun 2015 at 04:03 pm

    Basically because the back month is almost always in contango to the front month (so every day it sells lower & buys higher by design). By the way, on the rare occasions the VIX is in backwardation, you get outperformance to the VIX because the roll is a positive then.

    But the first point is that it doesn't track the VIX you see quoted - it tracks a combination of the VIX called the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index (front & 2nd months of the term structure). You can look up the ticker, but I don't know who quotes it.

    I got lucky, but will

    Posted by bluezango on 29th of Jun 2015 at 05:12 pm

    I got lucky, but will likely not mess with VXX or UVXY inverse ETFs again.  I bought them for insurance against this last week :), but see that they are a very very short term instrument, definitely for very advanced traders with experience in futures.  I just an equities guy :)  thanks all.

    You can trade options on

    Posted by a_l_ on 29th of Jun 2015 at 06:11 pm

    You can trade options on the VIX itself at TOS and I would assume a lot of other places too. Simple solution.

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