The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed further improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Wednesday.
U.S. stocks settled higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 closing at a record high level during the session.
The resilience came on the heels of two major economic headwinds: the start of a federal government shutdown and the weakest private payrolls report in more than two years.
The ADP Employment Report for September showed a drop of 32,000 private-sector jobs — the steepest monthly decline since March 2023. That figure badly missed Wall Street’s forecast, adding fuel to expectations that the Federal Reserve may continue cutting interest rates later this month.
With the government shutdown delaying several official economic releases, the ADP data took on added weight for traders seeking clarity on the labor market’s health.
RPM International Inc. (NYSE:RPM) reported better-than-expected sales for its fiscal 2026 first quarter. Conagra Brands Inc. (NYSE:CAG) reported upbeat earnings for the first quarter on Wednesday.
Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed on a negative note, with materials, financials and communication services stocks recording the biggest losses on Wednesday. However, health care and utilities stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.
The Dow Jones closed higher by around 43 points to 46,441.10 on Wednesday. The S&P 500 rose 0.34% to 6,688.46, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.42% to 22,755.16 during Wednesday’s session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from AngioDynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ANGO) today.
What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?
At a current reading of 52.3, the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 50.2.
The Fear & Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
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