Options strategists believe market gyrations may stay subdued for some time - potentially smoothing the way for further gains in equities. The S&P 500 is up 19% year-to-date, following a 9% gain in November - its best monthly performance since July 2022. Since the VIX tends to move inversely to stocks, market participants watch it closely as an indicator of investor sentiment and positioning. Among the factors closely watched by market participants are the funds that take their signals from market volatility, selling when volatility picks up and buying when it subsides. History also shows that once volatility expectations become subdued, they can linger at low levels for a while.

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Persons: Lucas Jackson, Ilya Feygin, Nomura, Charlie McElligott, Brent Kochuba, Cantor Fitzgerald, Eric Johnston, Cantor Fitzgerald’s, Johnston, Saqib Iqbal Ahmed, Ira Iosebashvili, Grant McCool Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Federal, Monday, WallachBeth, Nomura Securities, ’, Thomson