VIX Heatmap

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VIX HeatMap

Instructions:

- To be used with the S&P500 index (ES, SPX, SPY, any S&P ETF) as that's the input from where the CBOE calculates and measures the VIX. Can also be used with the Dow Jones, Nasdaq, & Nasdaq100.


Description:

- Expected Implied Volatility regime simplified & visualized. Know if we are in a high, medium, or low volatility regime, instantly.
- Ranges from Hot to Cold: The hotter the heat-map, the higher the implied volatility and fear & vice versa.
- The VIX HeatMap, color-maps important VIX levels (7 in this case) in measuring volatility for day trading & swing trading.


Using the VIX HeatMap:

- A LOW level volatility environment: Represented by "cooler" colors (Blue & White) depicts that the level of volatility and fear is low. Percentage moves on the index level are going to be tame and less volatile more often than not. Low fear = low perceived risk.

- A MEDIUM level volatility environment: Represented by "warmer" colors (Green & Yellow) depicts that the markets are transitioning from a calmer period or from a more fearful period. Market volatility here will be higher and provide more volatile swings in price.

- A HIGH level volatility environment: Represented by "hotter" colors (Orange, Red, & Purple) depicts that the markets are very fearful at the moment and will have big swings in both directions. Historically, extreme VIX levels tend to coincide with bottoms but are in no way predictive of the exact timing as the volatile moves can continue for an extended period of time.

- Transitioning between the 7 VIX Zones: Each and every one of these specific VIX zone levels is important.
1. Extreme low: <16
2. Low: 16 to 20
3. Normal: 20 to 24
4. Medium: 24 to 28
5. Med-High: 28 to 32
6. High: 32 to 36
7. Extreme high: >36

- These VIX levels in particular measure volatility changes that have a major impact on switching between smaller time frames and measuring depths of a sell move and vice versa. Each level also behaves as its own support & resistance level in terms of taking a bit of effort to switch regimes, and aids in identifying and measuring the potential depth of pullbacks in bull markets and bounces in bear markets to reveal reversal points.

- Examples of VIX level supports depicted on the chart marked with arrows. From left to right:
1. March 10th: Markets jumped 2 volatility levels in 2 days. The fluctuations from blue to yellow to green where a sign that price action would reverse from the selloff.
2. March 28th: As soon as we move from green to the blue VIX level (<20), markets began to rally and only ended when the volatility level moved sub VIX 16 (white).
3. May 4th & 24th: Next we see the 2 dips where volatility levels went from blue to green (VIX > 20), marked bottoms and reversed higher.
4. June 1st: We see a change in VIX regime yet again into lower VIX level and markets rocket higher.

Knowing the current VIX regime is a very important tool and aid in trading, now easily visualized.