Volatility in the USA's S&P 500

The world of European geopolitics and USA equities collided hard today as a centrist politician won the majority of votes in a preliminary voting round in France. After the rise of anti-European Union voices and the surprise of the Brexit vote from last year, investors were relieved to see signs of unity within the European Union and what looks to be a solid win by a pro-business candidate like Emmanuel Macron.

The VIX fell sharply, down nearly -20%, to about 12 by the end of the day. Gold, US Treasuries also sold off. The Euro climbed and equity markets worldwide also rose sharply. Recent bullish positions for defensive investment instruments built up into the pre-election French vote, and today's movement may partially be due to the unwinding of some of these positions.

Read about why the VIX plunged below
http://www.businessinsider.com/vix-plunging-the-most-since-trumps-election-2017-4