U.S. stock market panic sentiment intensifies; VIX fear index rises above 20.

As the U.S. stock market suffered a sell-off, investors' risk-averse sentiment clearly intensified, with the CBOE Volatility Index rising 3 points to 20.17, having touched 22.31 intraday, a recent high. The VIX index climbed back above the 20 mark, indicating a marked increase in market concerns about short-term stock market volatility.