Traders increase hedging for volatility, demand for VIX index call options rises to the highest level this year.

BlockBeats News, June 23, according to Bloomberg, investors are increasingly betting on heightened market volatility, with demand for VIX Call Options—used to gauge U.S. stock market fear—reaching its highest level this year.

Although tensions between the United States and Iran have eased and U.S. stocks continue to rise, the market remains concerned that persistent inflationary pressures and the Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance could push interest rates even higher.

As the S&P 500 approaches historic highs, more investors are choosing to hedge risk by purchasing volatility products to guard against a market pullback. In other words, although current market sentiment remains optimistic, institutional funds are quietly buying “insurance” in advance of potential sharp swings.