Morgan Stanley (MS) IV/HV History
Comparing implied volatility to historical (realized) volatility reveals whether options are priced rich or cheap relative to actual price movement. Persistent gaps can signal trading opportunities.
Morgan Stanley (MS) operates in the Financial Services sector, specifically the Financial - Capital Markets industry, with a market capitalization near $305.77B, listed on NYSE, employing roughly 81,000 people, carrying a beta of 1.21 to the broader market. Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Led by Edward N. Pick, public since 1993-02-23.
Snapshot as of May 15, 2026.
- Spot Price
- $192.78
- ATM IV
- 29.3%
- HV 20-Day
- 18.8%
- HV 60-Day
- 30.4%
- IV Rank
- 34.9%
- IV Percentile
- 63.1%
As of May 15, 2026, Morgan Stanley (MS) ATM implied volatility is 29.3%. 20-day realized volatility is 18.8%, producing an IV-HV spread of +10.5 vol points. Options are pricing in more volatility than the stock has recently delivered, the volatility risk premium. IV rank is 34.9%.
How MS iv/hv history Data Feeds Strategy Selection
Strategy selection on Morgan Stanley options does not derive from any single metric in isolation. The iv/hv history view above sits inside a broader read: ATM IV currently sits at 29.3% and dealer gamma exposure is positive, so dealer hedging is mechanically mean-reverting. Combine the iv/hv history data here with the volatility-skew surface, dealer-gamma exposure, max-pain level, and upcoming-events calendar to build a positioning thesis. Risk-defined structures (credit spreads, debit spreads, iron condors) are usually safer than naked positions while the regime is uncertain; the data on this page anchors the inputs but does not by itself constitute a trade thesis.
Learn how implied vs realized volatility is reported and how to read the data →
MS highest implied-volatility contracts
| Type | Strike | Expiration | Volume | OI | IV | Bid | Ask |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUT | $192.50 | May 22, 2026 | 1.5K | 122 | 32.1% | $3.10 | $3.35 |
Top 1 contracts from the ORATS-sourced nightly scan; ranked by iv within the broader S&P 500/400/600 + ETF universe.
Frequently asked MS iv/hv history questions
- Is MS options pricing rich or cheap right now?
- As of May 15, 2026, Morgan Stanley (MS) ATM IV is 29.3% against 20-day realized volatility of 18.8%. IV rank is 34.9%. MS options are pricing in more volatility than the stock has recently realized: a positive variance risk premium worth 10.5 vol points.
- What is the MS variance risk premium?
- The variance risk premium is the persistent gap between implied and subsequently realized volatility. In equity markets it averages positive because option sellers demand compensation for bearing variance shocks. MS is currently priced consistently with this premium, which is one input to whether short-vol or long-vol structures carry their typical edge.
- What does MS IV rank mean for strategy selection?
- IV rank normalizes the current ATM IV to its 1-year range: 0% is the low, 100% is the high. MS's current rank of 34.9% signals where current pricing sits in its own 1-year history. High-rank regimes typically favor premium-selling structures (credit spreads, condors, covered calls); low-rank regimes typically favor premium-buying or long-volatility structures.