Why Fear Level Among US Investors Is Decreasing

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed easing in the fear level among US investors.

US stocks closed lower on Thursday as investors assessed the recent jobs data. Private businesses in the US added 235,000 jobs in December, well above market estimates, the ADP said. US jobless claims also fell to 204,000 in the week ending December 31.

Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) dropped over 6% on Thursday after the company reported Q1 earnings results and issued guidance.

The Dow closed lower by around 340 points to 32,930.08 on Thursday. The S&P 500 lost 1.16% to 3,808.10, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.47% to settle at 10,305.24 in the previous session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results from The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (NYSE:GBX) today.

At a current reading of 44.0, the index remained in the "Fear" zone, compared to a previous reading of 37.0.

What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

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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