Investors were feeling pretty calm on Wednesday, despite worries about the health of the U.S. economy and President Donald Trump’s looming tariffs deadline.
The Cboe Volatility Index, or VIX, slipped 0.2 points to just under 18 in early trading. Any reading below 20 tends to indicate relatively low uncertainty.
The fear index’s move lower is a sign that Wall Street is shrugging off fears of stagflation. There is also just a day to go until the Aug. 7 deadline the White House has set for its so-called reciprocal tariffs to snap higher, although investors have become used to plenty of trade uncertainty this year.