Current VIX level + 5-tier fear-thermometer classification + option-seller strategy hint. Translates the single VIX number into actionable trading guidance (...
---
name: alphagbm-vix-status
description: |
Current VIX level + 5-tier fear-thermometer classification + option-seller strategy
hint. Translates the single VIX number into actionable trading guidance (calm /
normal / seller sweet spot / caution / extreme fear). Includes current percentile
vs 1-year history and how many days the market spent in each tier.
Triggers: "what's VIX", "VIX level", "is market calm", "market fear gauge",
"should I sell premium now", "VIX tier", "VIX strategy", "volatility environment",
"fear index", "should I buy protection", "is this a good time for BPS".
globs:
- "mock-data/vix-status/**"
---
# AlphaGBM VIX Status
The single VIX number, translated into the 5-tier framework that options sellers
actually use to size up and down. Use this as the market-wide backdrop before any
per-ticker analysis.
## What This Skill Does
Maps the raw VIX value to one of five strategy zones:
| Tier | VIX Range | Color | Seller's Move |
|------|-----------|-------|---------------|
| Calm | < 15 | ๐ต blue | Premiums thin; **buy protection cheap** (Long Put) |
| Normal | 15โ20 | ๐ข green | Daily Sell Put / BPS routine |
| Seller Sweet Spot | 20โ25 | ๐ก yellow | BPS premiums juicy โ **actively open positions** |
| Caution | 25โ35 | ๐ orange | Can trade but **halve size**; VIX-explosion risk |
| Extreme Fear | โฅ 35 | ๐ด red | Retail sellers most likely to get buried โ **only buy the dip in stock** |
Also returns:
- `mean_1y` โ 1-year mean VIX for comparison
- `percentile_1y` โ where today's VIX sits in last year's distribution
- `distribution_1y_pct` โ % of last year spent in each of the 5 tiers
## How to Use
**Input:** No parameters โ market-wide indicator.
**Output:**
- `vix` โ current close
- `level` โ one of `calm / normal / sweet_spot / caution / extreme_fear`
- `color` โ one of `blue / green / yellow / orange / red`
- `label` โ zh/en short name (e.g. `ๅๆน็่ๅบ / Seller Sweet Spot`)
- `strategy_hint` โ zh/en actionable guidance paragraph
- `percentile_1y`, `mean_1y`
- `distribution_1y_pct` โ fraction of the past year in each tier
**Example Queries:**
- `what's VIX right now` โ Current level + tier + strategy hint
- `is this a good time for BPS` โ Check if VIX is in the "sweet spot" (20โ25)
- `should I sell premium today` โ Seller-view classification
- `market fear gauge` โ VIX with contextual interpretation
- `how often has VIX been in extreme fear this year` โ 1-year distribution
## Mock Data
Mock data in `mock-data/vix-status/` โ sample responses across the 5 tiers.
## API Endpoint
```
GET /api/options/vix-status
```
No parameters. Returns:
```json
{
"success": true,
"vix": 22.5,
"mean_1y": 18.3,
"percentile_1y": 68.5,
"level": "sweet_spot",
"color": "yellow",
"label": {"zh": "ๅๆน็่ๅบ", "en": "Seller Sweet Spot"},
"strategy_hint": {"zh": "BPS ๆๅฉ้ๅ่ฅ๏ผ็งฏๆๅผไป", "en": "BPS premiums get juicy โ actively open positions"},
"distribution_1y_pct": {"calm": 12.5, "normal": 45.2, "sweet_spot": 28.7, "caution": 11.3, "extreme_fear": 2.3},
"timestamp": "2026-04-24T08:00:00"
}
```
Pricing: free (no quota deduction). 5-minute server-side cache.
## Related Skills
| Skill | Relevance |
|-------|-----------|
| [alphagbm-fear-score](../alphagbm-fear-score/) | Per-ticker fear score; VIX is one of its 6 inputs |
| [alphagbm-market-sentiment](../alphagbm-market-sentiment/) | Broader sentiment dashboard (VIX + breadth + sector rotation) |
| [alphagbm-options-strategy](../alphagbm-options-strategy/) | Strategy builder that should respect the VIX tier |
---
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