What does everyone think about this? Literally at historic high. Are we headed for a meltdown or is this because of the Iran war and possible consequences of that?
The **Cboe SKEW Index** is currently trading at **149.60**, while its sister index, the **VIX**, is hovering around **16.23**.\[[1](https://www.google.com/finance), [2](https://www.google.com/finance)\]
**What These Levels Mean Right Now**
**Elevated SKEW (149.60):** A reading near 150 is historically high. This indicates that institutional investors are actively buying "out-of-the-money" put options to protect their portfolios against a sudden market crash or black swan event. \[[1](https://www.google.com/finance)\]
**Moderate VIX (16.23):** Even though SKEW is elevated, the VIX remains in a moderate, relatively calm territory. This divergence suggests that while day-to-day market anxiety is low, big players are quietly paying a premium for systemic tail-risk insurance. \[[1](https://www.google.com/finance)\]