Wed Mar 05 20:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Fear Gauge Soars: Options Traders Brace for Stock Market Crash
**NEW YORK** – A surge in demand for options contracts tied to the VIX, the market’s “fear gauge,” is signaling growing concern among options traders about a potential stock market crash, according to data from Cboe Global Markets. Cboe’s Mandy Xu reported a significant increase in demand for deep out-of-the-money call options on the VIX last week. This suggests investors are betting on a sharp increase in market volatility, a key indicator of an impending downturn. The heightened activity in these options contracts is fueling speculation of a looming market crash, leaving investors on edge.
First Piper 