Betting on a US stock market decline? Goldman Sachs: It's time to buy VIX call options.
Goldman Sachs believes there are 5 reasons to support buying VIX call options: VIX at historical lows, Pro UltrPro Shrt S&Pro 500 near historical highs, high market demand for upward asymmetry, Goldman Sachs model indicates potential for VIX to rise, and various macro and micro factors may drive volatility higher.
Recently, Goldman Sachs issued a rare warning, alerting clients that the market may face significant volatility and advising them to take action to hedge risks.
Derivatives expert John Marshall from Goldman Sachs emphasized in the analysis report that now is the best time for clients to purchase VIX call options, citing five reasons:
- VIX is at historically low levels.
- Pro UltrPro Shrt S&Pro 500 is approaching historical highs.
- There is a high demand in the market for upward asymmetry.
- Goldman Sachs' model indicates that VIX has room to rise.
- Various macro and micro factors may drive an increase in volatility.
In particular, the fourth point highlights that Goldman Sachs' volatility model forecasts an average VIX level of 21.5 in April, significantly higher than the current 13.8.
Goldman Sachs' analysis points out that over the past thirty years, the average VIX level in April has been 19. Given the current macro environment and upcoming key events such as analyst days, earnings season, and the Federal Reserve FOMC meeting, the subdued VIX level currently faces upward risks.
Furthermore, the market skewness of Pro UltrPro Shrt S&Pro 500 indicates that the pursuit of upward asymmetry in the market is becoming crowded, making VIX call options an attractive hedging tool at this time.
Specifically, Goldman Sachs' GS-EQMOVE 2.0 model, based on the latest macro data, predicts that in the next month, there is a 32% probability of Pro UltrPro Shrt S&Pro 500 rising by more than 5%, and a 23% probability of it falling by more than 5%. This differs significantly from the current options pricing in the market.
Therefore, Goldman Sachs recommends investors to purchase CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) call options with a strike price of $16 expiring in April as a strategy to hedge against potential volatility increases. This strategic recommendation is based on the analysis and forecast of the current upward potential of VIX levels, aiming to help investors maintain an advantage in possible market fluctuations.