Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective.

The Numbers:

• VVIX - 91.5
• CBOE Skew Index - 136
• VXN - 14.7

Russell's Weekly Rundown

• VIX Options: ADV - 833k, VIX Call/Put - 3.9, Total 11.7m (9.37m Calls, 2.37m Puts)
• Earnings Volatility: Apple, Facebook, Tesla
• Commodity Volatility: Crude/OIV, Gold/GVZ

Volatility Voicemail: Listener questions and comments

• Comment from Don S: :Ah, if you had called me for the last VV, I would have regaled you with stories from the Morgan Stanley trading desk about Black Monday. But none would have been better than the one of my buddy and colleague, Peter, who in August 1987 decided that the market was overdone and invested $20,000 of his own money in OTM SPX November puts. Those options, which were 1/8 before the crash, went to $50, and his $20,000 turned into 400 times that, or ... wait for it! ... $8 million! Ah, the good ol' days. :-) Don
• Question from Hawkeye - To ye merry band of Magical Voice, grease laden Meatballs, favorite Uncles, and Lobsters with Tubs of butter: I already get that SVXY, XIV, and other short ETF/ETNs can go bust overnight due to the front 2 futures doubling. What would happen if I held long SVXY puts in an IRA and the fund had to close because the SHTF? How would I exercise them if the fund doesn't trade? I can't cover due to underlying frozen, but I can't exercise without covering because that would put me short in an IRA? Or would they still allow it as an exception? How would it all unwind? Thanks for all you guys keeping me learning, laughing, and most of all, thinking. Your longtime listener - Hawkeye

Crystal Ball: Wild and reckless prognostication.

Last week:

• Mark L. - 9.65
• Mark S. - 10.16
• Ophir - 9.8
• Ghost of Russell - 38.3

This week:

• Mark L. - 9.55
• Andrew - 9.99
• Russell - 8.95