Short U.S. Market Update - August 17, 2026

VIX is above 15, +5% - while VIX negative gamma accumulation started being at 14.5. Funds started buying short term volatility again.

Short U.S. Market Update - August 17, 2026. A flat open into a thin board, and the only thing that moved over the weekend was volatility.

ince August 5 the index has closed inside an 89 point band, 7,709.96 to 7,798.99, which is 1.15% top to bottom across eight sessions. Even counting every intraday print it is 118 points, or 1.54%. Two weeks of a market going nowhere with some conviction.

What matters is the support near blue lines - it sits near 7775. If it’s broken today - it opens a gate to go down towards 7660.

The S&P daily. Price is sitting on the line that has held it since the start of the month, with the rising trendline arriving underneath at the same place.