Volatility Views 676: Are these Bizarro Markets?

Is it "opposite day" in the financial markets? In this episode of Volatility Views, Mark Longo is joined by Russell Rhoads (Dr. VIX), Andrew Giovinazzi from Option Pit, and Scott Nations from Nations Indexes to deconstruct a wild week where bad news for the world seemingly became fuel for a massive equity rally. The team dives deep into the "Bizarro" nature of the current landscape—where a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz resulted in a market surge and a ceasefire triggered explosive upside momentum. Key topics include: The Volatility Review: A look at VIX Cash levels, the collapse of VVIX, and the surprising lack of "flight to quality" in gold and treasuries. Bizarro Markets: How the S&P 500 reached new highs despite crude oil remaining significantly elevated. RMC Insights: Russell Rhoads shares his top-level takeaways from the latest Risk Management Conference (RMC), including the shift toward buffered ETFs and the latest research on VIX futures reactions to spot. VIX Options Flow: A breakdown of massive volume in May and June strikes, including a look at the "Scott Nations Special" deep out-of-the-money calls. The Crystal Ball: The team peers into the future to predict where the VIX and Volley will land next week. Check out tastytrade -  Named as the best broker for options in 2025 and 2026 by Investopedia and StockBrokers.com.