Investors seek hedges as midterms and geopolitical risks threaten market calm

Digital generated image of a futuristic financial dashboard with holographic displays of various stock market graphs and data visualizations. The scene includes detailed graphs with line and bar charts, real-time data feeds, and transparent screens, indicating a high-tech, data-driven environment suitable for financial analysis and trading.Eugene Mymrin | Moment | Getty ImagesInvestors are starting to seek more protection against stock market swings as a historically volatile period for markets approaches.One sign of that nervousness is emerging in Cboe's VIX volatility index. The VIX, often referred to as Wall Street's "fear gauge," measures the level of volatility investors expect in the S&P 500 over the next 30 days, based on options prices. It tends to rise when investors become more anxious about the outlook and rush to protect their portfolios against sharp market moves, and fall when markets are calmer. A higher VIX therefore generally signals greater uncertainty or fear among investors.September and October are typically among the months when the VIX jumps the most, after midyear drops. This seasonal proclivity, compounded by the upcoming U.S. midterm elections, interes...