Volatility
Volatility Term Structure
Also called: IV term structure, volatility curve
Term structure is how implied volatility varies across expiration dates for the same underlying. Normally longer-dated options carry slightly higher IV (contango); before earnings or a known event the near-term expiration carries the highest IV, an inverted or "kinked" term structure.
Term structure isolates event risk. If the expiration just after earnings shows 60% IV while the following month shows 35%, the difference is almost entirely the move priced for the report, and it converts directly into an implied earnings move.
Calendar and diagonal spreads trade term structure directly: sell the elevated near-term IV, buy the calmer longer-dated IV, and profit if near-term volatility collapses relative to the back month. Index term structure, the VIX futures curve, is also a widely watched regime indicator.
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Frequently asked questions
What does an inverted volatility term structure mean?
Near-term options are pricing more volatility than longer-dated ones, usually because of a scheduled event or acute stress. It typically normalizes once the event passes.