Options
Implied Volatility — Definition & Example
The market's expectation of future price volatility, derived from current option prices.
Implied volatility (IV) is the volatility input that, plugged into an option-pricing model, reproduces the option's observed market price. High IV means the market expects large moves; low IV means small moves. IV typically rises before binary events (earnings, rate decisions) and crashes after them — the "vol crush." Trading options without understanding IV is one of the most common retail leaks.
Example
NIFTY 24500 CE trading with 25% IV implies the market expects NIFTY to move within roughly ±25% (annualised) from current levels. Same option with 40% IV is significantly more expensive — the market expects bigger swings.
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