The CBOE Volatility Index and its futures finished the day lower even as the S&P 500 slid into the close.
The VIX climbed at the end of the session but still finished down 2.12 percent to 13.88, its first close below 14 since Aug. 17. The SPX was up at 1465 going into the last hour but closed just over 1461, up less than 2 points. The two indexes usually move inversely.
The September futures settled this morning at 14.03, the lowest level since June 2007, and the remaining contracts fell across the board. The now-front-month October futures were down 0.25 points to 16, and the November futures fell 0.05 points to close at 17.70.
The VIX options had another big day as 779,000 contracts changed hands, with calls outpacing puts by more than 3 to 1. The VVIX Index, which measures the implied volatility of the VIX options, headed back toward the lows as it fell 1.7 percent to 88.61.
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