VIX at 18.70 Ahead of US Inflation Test
Published on 11/13/2026 at 13:17 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSVIX awaits inflation test
- The VIX closed at 18.70 on November 12, up 6.92 percent from the previous session.
- Nvidia leadership turmoil, higher Treasury yields and expectations of a December Federal Reserve rate hike lifted volatility demand.
- US producer-price data and several Federal Reserve speakers are scheduled before the American trading session gets underway.
America preview: The VIX is set for a potentially eventful US session after closing at 18.70 on Thursday, November 12. That was an increase of 1.21 points, or 6.92 percent, from the previous session's 17.49 close. The cash index is not yet in its regular US calculation window during the 13:00-14:00 Berlin time slot; the next relevant move will come after the American market opens.
The official Cboe VIX page describes the index as a measure of market expectations for near-term volatility derived from S&P 500 options. Its latest displayed data show Thursday's close at 18.70 and the previous close at 17.49.
Technology and rates drive risk
Thursday's volatility increase came as investors assessed Nvidia's leadership disruption, a broader reassessment of the artificial-intelligence trade and another rise in US Treasury yields. According to Saxo, Nvidia fell 4.3 percent after the departure of its chief executive, while AMD and Broadcom gained. The S&P 500 declined 0.35 percent to 7,592.40, indicating that the volatility bid was concentrated more heavily in selected technology names and short-dated protection than in a broad equity sell-off.
The volatility curve remained in contango, with November VIX futures at 18.95 and December futures at 19.68, according to the same Saxo market brief. That structure does not by itself signal a disorderly market, but the VIX's move back toward 20 leaves investors sensitive to fresh inflation or rate-policy surprises.
Friday data in focus
The main scheduled US catalyst is October producer-price data at 14:30 Berlin time. Saxo cited expectations for a 0.4 percent monthly increase in headline producer prices and a 0.3 percent rise in core prices. Federal Reserve officials, including Goolsbee, Collins, Logan, Bowman and Daly, are also due to speak from 14:30 Berlin time onward. The combination of inflation data and policy commentary could influence both equity pricing and demand for index protection.
For investors, the key distinction is between the latest confirmed close and Friday's forthcoming session: 18.70 is a Thursday closing level, not a Friday intraday quote. A sustained move above 20 would represent a further escalation from the current reading, while a retreat would suggest that Thursday's protection demand was tied primarily to the immediate event risk. The evidence available before the US open supports a cautious preview rather than a directional conclusion.
Further coverage of the index is available on the VIX topic page.
