VIX closes at 23.72, down 15.83% as volatility eases
Published on 11/06/2026 at 23:06 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSVIX retreats after Thursday shock
- The VIX ended Friday, November 6, at 23.72, down 15.83 percent from Thursday's close of 28.18.
- The decline followed a sharp volatility surge during Thursday's technology-led equity sell-off.
- A stronger-than-expected October jobs report added 165,000 jobs and lowered unemployment to 4.1 percent.
The Cboe Volatility Index ended Friday, November 6, at 23.72, down 4.46 points or 15.83 percent from Thursday's close of 28.18. Cboe's market data page reported the reading at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time, after the U.S. session, making it the relevant late-session value for the VIX. The index measures near-term volatility expectations derived from S&P 500 options prices.
Volatility pulls back from Thursday peak
The move represented a partial retreat after Thursday's sharp volatility shock. The VIX had risen from a 16.61 close on Wednesday to 28.18 on Thursday, according to Reuters. Thursday's session saw the gauge reach an intraday high of 28.36 as investors sought protection during a broad technology and semiconductor sell-off.
On Friday, the VIX remained elevated even as technology shares recovered part of their losses. Reuters reported that the Nasdaq 100 rose nearly 2 percent during the session after falling more than 6 percent on Thursday, while noting that traders remained cautious. Reuters also described Thursday's VIX rise as the highest level since late March and said the index had gained more than 40 percent over the week.
Jobs data adds rate-policy focus
The main scheduled macroeconomic event was the October employment report. The U.S. economy added 165,000 jobs, compared with a 65,000 consensus estimate cited by Reuters, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.1 percent from 4.2 percent. The report also included upward revisions to the previous two months. The stronger labor-market data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates in December, adding a separate policy consideration for equity and options markets.
The VIX's Friday decline indicates that some of Thursday's demand for downside protection eased, but the level remained above the pre-sell-off reading. That distinction matters for investors: a lower index value does not by itself establish that market risks have returned to normal, and the VIX is an indicator rather than a directly investable stock.
More VIX coverage is available in the VIX topic overview.
