Model-free volatility indexes in the financial literature: A review

Abstract This article describes the primary uses of the VIX index in the financial literature, offering for the first time a joint view of its successes and failures in key financial areas. VIX is a model-free volatility index that measures the investor “fear” gauge due to its significant and negative relationship with SP (2)a market risk measure used to analyze risk flows from financial markets and to relate private and public risks; and (3)a volatility measure to estimate the spot volatility dynamics, the volatility risk premium and volatility jumps. This survey offers an entre for researchers who consider VIX as a proxy for volatility and/or risk.