Pakistan, March 23 -- Investors are betting on heightened political uncertainty and greater volatility in European stock markets ahead of European Parliament elections in May amid growing concerns about rising populism. In one of the first concrete signs in financial markets that investors are bracing for political instability, VSTOXX futures , which reflect investor sentiment and economic uncertainty, have jumped in recent weeks. While the classic gauge of fear - known as implied volatility, which tracks demand for options in European stocks - is currently at 15.68, futures that bet on the same thing over the coming months show a pronounced jump. That's because investors have piled on trades that bet on big swings in stocks as election d...