Cost of hedging hits record high

One measure of expected turbulence, the relative cost of options that pay when stocks decline versus those that appreciate when they rise, jumped to the highest level ever recorded just before the S&P 500 Index buckled on Tuesday. The relative cost of hedging a 5 percent decline in an exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P 500 is twice the cost of betting on a gain, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. (Source: Bloomberg) (VIEW LINK)