Wall Street’s VIX jumps over 22% today

The Wall Street’s fear gauge surged sharply on Friday, fueled by rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian facilities.

The VIX, which measures volatility expectations on Wall Street, jumped 22.1% to 21.99 points as of 10:39 am KSA time.

This spike coincided with a drop in US stock futures, as Dow Jones futures fell 1.3% to 42,429 points, with S&P 500 futures falling 1.35% to 5,967 points.

Earlier today, June 13, Israel launched airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, stating that the operation aimed to disrupt Tehran’s nuclear advancement.

These developments triggered market anxiety, as investors feared a widening conflict in the region. This prompted a shift away from riskier assets toward safe havens amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and its potential global market impact.