What Is the Relationship Between S&P 500 Index and the ^VIX Index?

The Relationship Between S&P 500 Index and the ^VIX Index can be summarized as:

• The ^VIX attempts to measure the magnitude of price movements of the S&P 500 over the coming 30 days.
• The more dramatic the price swings are in the index, the higher the ^VIX values.
• The less dramatic the price swings are in the index, the lower the ^VIX values.

Compare:
   S&P 500
   SNP: ^GSPC
   2025-12-05: 6870.39990234 USD
with:
   CBOE Volatility Index
   Cboe Indices: ^VIX
   2025-12-05: 15.40999985 USD

                S&P 500        CBOE Volatility Ind
               ^GSPC  Growth%        ^VIX  Growth%
           ---------- -------   ---------- -------
2025-12-05   6,870.40  100.00        15.41  100.00
2025-12-04   6,857.12   99.81        15.78  102.40
2025-12-03   6,849.72   99.70        16.08  104.35
2025-12-02   6,829.37   99.40        16.59  107.66
2025-12-01   6,812.63   99.16        17.24  111.88
2025-11-28   6,849.09   99.69        16.35  106.10
2025-11-26   6,812.61   99.16        17.19  111.55
2025-11-25   6,765.88   98.48        18.56  120.44
2025-11-24   6,705.12   97.59        20.52  133.16
2025-11-21   6,602.99   96.11        23.43  152.04
2025-11-20   6,538.76   95.17        26.42  171.45
2025-11-19   6,642.16   96.68        23.66  153.54
2025-11-18   6,617.32   96.32        24.69  160.22
2025-11-17   6,672.41   97.12        22.38  145.23
2025-11-14   6,734.11   98.02        19.83  128.68
2025-11-13   6,737.49   98.07        20.00  129.79
2025-11-12   6,850.92   99.72        17.51  113.63
2025-11-11   6,846.61   99.65        17.28  112.13
2025-11-10   6,832.43   99.45        17.60  114.21
2025-11-07   6,728.80   97.94        19.08  123.82
2025-11-05   6,796.29   98.92        18.01  116.87
2025-10-05   6,715.79   97.75        16.65  108.05
2025-09-05   6,481.50   94.34        15.18   98.51
2025-08-05   6,299.19   91.69        17.85  115.83
2025-07-05   6,279.35   91.40        17.48  113.43
2025-06-05   5,939.30   86.45        18.48  119.92
2025-05-05   5,650.38   82.24        23.64  153.41
2025-04-05   5,074.08   73.85        45.31  294.03
2025-03-05   5,842.63   85.04        21.93  142.31
2025-02-05   6,061.48   88.23        15.77  102.34
2025-01-05   5,942.47   86.49        17.95  116.48
2024-12-05   6,075.11   88.42        17.95  116.48
2023-12-05   4,567.18   66.48        17.95  116.48
2022-12-05   3,998.84   58.20        21.67  140.62
2021-12-05   4,538.43   66.06        17.22  111.75
2020-12-05   3,699.12   53.84        22.75  147.63
2019-12-05   3,117.43   45.37        13.78   89.42
2018-12-05   2,700.06   39.30        25.42  164.96
2017-12-05   2,629.57   38.27        11.04   71.64
2016-12-05   2,204.71   32.09        14.04   91.11
2015-12-05   2,091.69   30.44        18.21  118.17
2014-12-05   2,104.50   30.63        19.20  124.59
2013-12-05   1,859.45   27.06        13.72   89.03
2012-12-05   1,514.68   22.05        18.02  116.94
2011-12-05   1,365.68   19.88        23.40  151.85
2010-12-05   1,327.22   19.32        17.75  115.18
2009-12-05   1,104.49   16.08        21.68  140.69
2008-12-05     735.09   10.70        40.00  259.57
2007-12-05   1,330.63   19.37        22.50  146.01
2006-12-05   1,406.82   20.48        11.56   75.02
2005-12-05   1,280.66   18.64        12.07   78.33
2004-12-05   1,203.60   17.52        13.29   86.24
2003-12-05   1,144.94   16.66        18.31  118.82
2002-12-05     841.15   12.24        28.62  185.72
2001-12-05   1,106.73   16.11        23.80  154.45
2000-12-05   1,239.94   18.05        26.85  174.24
1999-12-05   1,366.42   19.89        24.64  159.90
1998-12-05   1,238.33   18.02        24.42  158.47
1997-12-05   1,049.34   15.27        24.01  155.81
1996-12-05     790.82   11.51        20.92  135.76
1995-12-05     640.43    9.32        12.52   81.25
1994-12-05     487.39    7.09        13.20   85.66
1993-12-05     467.14    6.80        11.66   75.67
1992-12-05     443.38    6.45        12.57   81.57
1991-12-05     412.70    6.01        19.31  125.31
1990-12-05     367.07    5.34        26.38  171.19
1989-12-05     331.89    4.83                     
1988-12-05     288.86    4.20                     
1987-12-05     267.82    3.90                     
1986-12-05     284.20    4.14                     
1985-12-05     226.92    3.30                     
1984-12-05     181.18    2.64                     
1984-12-01     181.18    2.64                     

⇒ What Is Dow Jones Industrial Average

⇐ Cboe Indices: ^VIX - CBOE Volatility Index

⇑ US Market Indices

⇑⇑ Market Indices