The option implied volatility spread and skew predict stock returns. These variables also reflect the expected cost of borrowing stock to sell short. The stock borrowing fee implied from options prices predicts changes in quoted borrowing fees and stock returns; however, the volatility spread...

This paper examines the role of information from the options market in forecasting the equity premium. We provide empirical evidence that the equity premium is predictable out-of-sample using a set of CBOE strategy benchmark indices as predictors. We use a range of econometric approaches to...