tsf wrote:Newbie question
I'm trying to learn more about volatility contango and backwardation.
What are the signals that contango and backwardation have started and ended ?
Thank you in advance.
VIX futures are still in backwardation
Backwardation = when the front month VIX-futures contract is higher (more expensive) than the second month contract. Backwardation is rare, and it favors VXX, UVXY and other long VIX vehicles.
Contango = when the front month VIX-futures contract is lower (cheaper than) than the second month contract. Contango favors XIV and other short VIX vehicles. Estimates are that contango exists about 70-80% of the time in a primary bull market.
Only the closing price counts, as it is at the close that a small portion of the front month contracts are “rolled” (sold) and the second month contracts are bought. This roll ensures that at expiration, the VIX contracts will hold zero contracts expiring, as all will have been rolled into the next month already, creating a smooth-ish transition.
http://www.barchart.com/commodityfuture ... de=D&view=