CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) (VIX)
Benchmark index · United States · data since 1990-01-02 · last close 2026-09-09
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) (VIX) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16.7 | 13.9 | 27.1 | -33.1 | -9.3 | 7.4 | -2.8 | -6.7 | 10.3 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | -5.3 | 19.5 | 13.5 | 10.9 | -24.8 | -9.9 | -0.1 | -8.1 | 6.0 | 7.1 | -6.3 | -8.6 |
| 2024 | 15.3 | -6.6 | -2.9 | 20.3 | -17.4 | -3.7 | 31.5 | -8.3 | 11.5 | 38.4 | -41.7 | 28.4 |
| 2023 | -10.5 | 6.7 | -9.7 | -15.6 | 13.7 | -24.3 | 0.3 | -0.4 | 29.1 | 3.5 | -28.8 | -3.6 |
| 2022 | 44.2 | 21.4 | -31.8 | 62.5 | -21.6 | 9.6 | -25.7 | 21.3 | 22.2 | -18.1 | -20.5 | 5.3 |
| 2021 | 45.5 | -15.5 | -30.6 | -4.1 | -9.9 | -5.5 | 15.2 | -9.7 | 40.4 | -29.7 | 67.2 | -36.7 |
| 2020 | 36.7 | 112.9 | 33.5 | -36.2 | -19.4 | 10.6 | -19.6 | 8.0 | -0.1 | 44.2 | -45.9 | 10.6 |
| 2019 | -34.8 | -10.8 | -7.2 | -4.3 | 42.6 | -19.4 | 6.9 | 17.7 | -14.4 | -18.6 | -4.5 | 9.2 |
| 2018 | 22.6 | 46.6 | 0.6 | -20.2 | -3.1 | 4.3 | -20.3 | 0.2 | -5.8 | 75.2 | -14.9 | 40.7 |
| 2017 | -14.6 | 7.8 | -4.3 | -12.5 | -3.8 | 7.4 | -8.2 | 3.2 | -10.2 | 7.0 | 10.8 | -2.1 |
| 2016 | 10.9 | 1.7 | -32.1 | 12.5 | -9.6 | 10.2 | -24.1 | 13.1 | -1.0 | 28.4 | -21.9 | 5.3 |
| 2015 | 9.2 | -36.4 | 14.6 | -4.8 | -4.9 | 31.7 | -33.5 | 134.6 | -13.8 | -38.5 | 7.0 | 12.9 |
| 2014 | 34.2 | -23.9 | -0.9 | -3.4 | -15.0 | 1.5 | 46.5 | -28.7 | 34.9 | -14.0 | -5.0 | 44.0 |
| 2013 | -20.8 | 8.6 | -18.1 | 6.5 | 20.6 | 3.4 | -20.2 | 26.5 | -2.4 | -17.2 | -0.4 | 0.1 |
| 2012 | -16.9 | -5.2 | -15.9 | 10.7 | 40.3 | -29.0 | 10.8 | -7.7 | -10.0 | 18.3 | -14.7 | 13.6 |
| 2011 | 10.0 | -6.0 | -3.3 | -16.9 | 4.8 | 6.9 | 52.9 | 25.2 | 35.9 | -30.3 | -7.2 | -15.8 |
| 2010 | 13.6 | -20.8 | -9.8 | 25.4 | 45.4 | 7.7 | -32.0 | 10.8 | -9.0 | -10.6 | 11.0 | -24.6 |
| 2009 | 12.1 | 3.4 | -4.8 | -17.3 | -20.8 | -8.9 | -1.6 | 0.3 | -1.5 | 19.8 | -20.1 | -11.6 |
| 2008 | 16.4 | 1.3 | -3.5 | -18.8 | -14.2 | 34.3 | -4.2 | -10.0 | 90.8 | 52.0 | -7.7 | -27.6 |
| 2007 | -9.9 | 48.0 | -5.1 | -2.9 | -8.2 | 24.4 | 44.9 | -0.6 | -23.0 | 2.9 | 23.4 | -1.6 |
| 2006 | 7.3 | -4.7 | -7.7 | 1.8 | 41.9 | -20.4 | 14.3 | -17.7 | -2.7 | -7.3 | -1.7 | 6.0 |
| 2005 | -3.5 | -5.8 | 16.1 | 9.2 | -13.2 | -9.4 | -3.9 | 8.9 | -5.4 | 28.5 | -21.3 | 0.1 |
| 2004 | -9.2 | -12.5 | 15.1 | 2.7 | -9.8 | -7.5 | 6.8 | -0.2 | -12.8 | 22.0 | -18.6 | 0.4 |
| 2003 | 8.9 | -4.9 | -1.6 | -27.2 | -8.2 | 0.3 | -0.1 | -4.4 | 21.9 | -29.1 | 1.4 | 12.2 |
| 2002 | -11.4 | 2.4 | -19.4 | 25.9 | -8.8 | 27.1 | 26.1 | 1.9 | 21.6 | -21.5 | -11.7 | 4.1 |
| 2001 | -18.0 | 28.8 | 1.0 | -11.0 | -11.2 | -15.8 | 13.4 | 15.3 | 28.1 | 5.1 | -29.0 | -0.2 |
| 2000 | 1.3 | -6.3 | 3.2 | 8.7 | -9.7 | -17.4 | 6.1 | -18.8 | 22.1 | 14.9 | 25.5 | -9.4 |
| 1999 | 7.5 | 6.2 | -16.6 | 7.8 | 1.3 | -16.9 | 16.8 | -0.8 | 3.9 | -12.6 | 8.9 | 1.9 |
| 1998 | -10.6 | -13.6 | 30.6 | -12.6 | 0.7 | -7.5 | 25.8 | 78.5 | -7.5 | -31.5 | -7.3 | -6.1 |
| 1997 | -6.9 | 8.4 | 4.9 | -9.4 | -4.3 | 12.2 | -0.2 | 15.3 | -7.5 | 53.2 | -21.8 | -12.5 |
| 1996 | 0.1 | 36.0 | 10.8 | -16.1 | 1.5 | -14.9 | 42.3 | -12.6 | -0.3 | 6.8 | -5.4 | 22.1 |
| 1995 | -9.4 | -1.8 | 13.8 | -12.1 | 9.4 | -11.4 | 18.5 | -14.6 | 10.6 | 8.6 | -16.3 | 8.1 |
| 1994 | -8.8 | 39.9 | 37.5 | -32.7 | -5.4 | 14.9 | -25.6 | 7.5 | 19.3 | 2.0 | 9.6 | -17.2 |
| 1993 | -1.2 | 6.0 | -4.8 | -0.9 | 8.4 | -16.4 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 9.6 | -11.8 | 20.1 | -15.3 |
| 1992 | -9.9 | -4.1 | -3.0 | -4.0 | -10.8 | -3.7 | -1.4 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 13.1 | -19.4 | -3.4 |
| 1991 | -20.7 | 1.5 | -20.5 | 8.1 | -12.7 | 22.7 | -22.4 | -4.7 | 9.6 | -2.3 | 30.9 | -4.7 |
| 1990 | 47.1 | -13.3 | -10.3 | -1.1 | -11.0 | -10.8 | 36.2 | 41.6 | -2.6 | 3.2 | -26.2 | 19.0 |
| Avg | 3.7 | 6.2 | -1.1 | -2.8 | -1.5 | -0.4 | 4.7 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 4.5 | -5.6 | 1.2 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
VIX seasonality — average by calendar month
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) has monthly history back to 1990. September carries the highest average at +8.1%, but the median September is +1.9% and 18 of 36 have finished green: +91% in 2008 does most of the lifting. The steadier month is October — positive in 21 of 36 years, median +3.4%, and higher in 6 of the last 9. May is the soft spot, down in 25 of 37 with a median of -8.2%. Across its full record it has closed 46% of months higher, swings ±21.6% in an average month and has fallen 88.7% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | +3.7% | +6.2% | -1.1% | -2.8% | -1.5% | -0.4% | +4.7% | +7.6% | +8.1% | +4.5% | -5.6% | +1.2% |
| Win rate | 51%/37 | 54%/37 | 38%/37 | 38%/37 | 32%/37 | 49%/37 | 51%/37 | 54%/37 | 50%/36 | 58%/36 | 31%/36 | 53%/36 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
VIX risk & extremes
VIX drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
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Frequently asked questions
What was CBOE Volatility Index (VIX)'s best month?+
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX)'s strongest completed month on record is August 2015, at +134.57%.
What was CBOE Volatility Index (VIX)'s worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is November 2020, at -45.90%.
Is CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) up this year?+
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is up 10.10% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is CBOE Volatility Index (VIX)'s 1-year return?+
+9.44% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is CBOE Volatility Index (VIX)'s biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 88.7%, measured on month-end closes since 1990.
Which calendar month is historically best for CBOE Volatility Index (VIX)?+
September has the highest average return across every completed September since 1990. An average is not a forecast.
About CBOE Volatility Index (VIX)
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) isn't a company — it's the scoreboard: United States's benchmark index, tracked here like any other asset, no CEO, no earnings calls, just the crowd's verdict in one number — with price history on this site back to 1990. Since 1990 it is down 41% overall — surviving is its own genre of awesome.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was August 2015 at +134.57%; its worst, November 2020 at -45.9%.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.