By Caitlin McCabe

President Trump's move to pause strikes on Iran's energy sector for another 10 days has done little to calm investor anxiety.

The Cboe Volatility Index, known as the VIX, or Wall Street's fear gauge, is heading higher. It most recently traded just under 30.

The VIX is closely watched during market turmoil. It tracks expectations for stock swings over the next 30 days, based on what investors will pay for options tied to the S&P 500 index.

It has averaged around 18.5 over the last 10 years, according to FactSet data. Typically, anything above 20 indicates that fear is rising.

The VIX's jump comes as U.S. stock futures are falling, following a bruising day for stocks Thursday. The Nasdaq composite slid into correction territory, after it dropped more than 10% from its last high.

Since the war began, the VIX has risen as high as 35.3 on an intraday basis.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 27, 2026 11:00 ET (15:00 GMT)

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