How did the major market ETFs perform on October 20, 2026?

SPY rose 0.34% to $769.05, DIA gained 1.05% to $524.36, and IWM climbed 1.66% to $275.78. QQQ slipped 0.10% to $717.63.

What happened to VIX today?

VIX fell 6.13% to 17.31 on October 20, 2026.

Which options orders had the largest premiums today?

The SPX 7,500 put expiring November 20, 2026 had the largest premium, followed by the SNOW 350 call expiring December 17, 2027. Both round to $4.0M.

2026-10-20 Closing Bell: IWM Gains 1.66%, VIX Falls 6.13%

Stocks finished mixed on October 20, 2026. IWM gained 1.66% and DIA rose 1.05%, while SPY added 0.34% and QQQ slipped 0.10%. VIX fell 6.13% to 17.31. The largest options premiums were in SPX puts and SNOW calls. API crude inventories declined more than forecast, according to Tradex.

Market snapshot

SPY: $769.05, up 0.34%.
QQQ: $717.63, down 0.10%.
DIA: $524.36, up 1.05%.
IWM: $275.78, up 1.66%, the strongest gain among these four equity ETFs.
VIX: 17.31, down 6.13%.

Biggest options orders

SPX: 7,500 put expiring November 20, 2026 — $4.0M premium, the largest order by premium.
SNOW: 350 call expiring December 17, 2027 — $4.0M premium.
SPX: 7,755 call expiring December 18, 2026 — $3.1M premium.
SPX: 7,755 put expiring December 18, 2026 — $3.0M premium.
GOOGL: 355 call expiring November 20, 2026 — $2.9M premium.
EWZ: 55 call expiring March 19, 2027 — $2.5M premium.
MRVL: 280 call expiring January 15, 2027 — $1.7M premium.
HOOD: 145 call expiring December 17, 2027 — $1.4M premium.
Calls and puts can serve different trading or hedging purposes. Premium size alone does not establish a directional view.

Headlines to watch

Oil inventories: Tradex reported an API crude stock change of -4.93M, versus a -1.3M forecast and -11.21M previously. The API Cushing stock change was +0.936M, versus +1.823M previously.
Crypto regulation: Bitwise and Hyperliquid pushed for SEC rule changes on token trading and airdrops as the public comment period closed, according to Cointelegraph.
Earnings announcements: Claros Mortgage Trust announced dates for its third-quarter 2026 earnings release and conference call. Imperial announced a third-quarter 2026 earnings call. Both headlines came from Business Wire.
Dividends: Sallie Mae declared dividends on Series B preferred stock and common stock, according to Business Wire.

What to watch next

Relative performance: Watch whether IWM and DIA continue to outperform QQQ after today's split session.
November expirations: November 20, 2026 is the expiration date for the SPX 7,500 put and GOOGL 355 call highlighted above.
December SPX activity: The 7,755 call and put both expire December 18, 2026. Their shared strike and expiration do not, by themselves, establish that the orders are connected.
Corporate updates: Watch for the third-quarter earnings releases and calls announced by Claros Mortgage Trust and Imperial.

Educational only; not financial advice.

Written by Rebel Intel from live market data. Educational only, not financial advice.

2026-10-20 Closing Bell: IWM Gains 1.66%, VIX Falls 6.13%

Market snapshot

Biggest options orders

Headlines to watch

What to watch next

Questions about today