Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Wall Street's Crystal Ball Might Be a Tad Too Zen Guess what folks?! You remember the bull market in the 90s? Back when boy bands ruled the airwaves and high-waisted jeans were in vogue? Well, the stock market is currently sporting that same placid vibe according to a major Wall Street signal. And by placid, I mean super chilled – as peaceful as a Buddhist monk on a silent retreat. The Lowdown on the VIX Permit me to introduce you to the CBOE Volatility Index (or VIX for short). Ah, the VIX – our most evocative little ticker symbol – considered something of a psychic hotline for investor feels about market volatility. Being the Wall Street's go-to 'fear gauge,' it's practically a jitter-o-meter for Wall Street fortunes. Here's the kicker: right now, that jitter-o-meter is hovering just below 10. To give you a sense of scale, the VIX’s normal 25-year average is twice that number. The current lull is the lowest since Bill Clinton's first year in office. Just to contrast, flashback to the 2008 financial crisis – the VIX was somersaulting over 60, like a turbo-charged gymnast. Serene or Scary? You might think this Zen-like calm should be cause for confetti and champagne. Typically, a less spooky VIX suggests less perceived risk and by extension, a stronger argument for pumping up those equity investments. At least, that's what Jack Ablin, bigwig money man at BMO Private Bank, might tell you. But wait! Let's not put away our worry beads just yet. This peri… Read more