Hedging demand perks up even as volatility craters

Soaring U.S. share prices and plunging market volatility measures may paint a picture of optimism, but there are signs in the equity options market that investors have started to question how long this goldilocks period can last. The post-election share rally has quieted the CBOE Volatility Index , the most the widely followed barometer of expected near-term stock market gyrations. Away from this view of the market, however, investors have increased bets over the last two weeks with more protect