The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some easing in the overall fear level, while the index remained in the “Extreme Fear” zone on Thursday.

U.S. stocks settled mixed on Thursday, with the Dow Jones index falling around 0.1% during the session following recent comments from President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Iran is reportedly drafting a monitoring protocol with Oman for the Strait of Hormuz.

Within Magnificent Seven stocks, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) sank over 5% to a seven-month low after posting one of its weakest first-quarter delivery figures in recent years.

In earnings, shares of Acuity Inc. (NYSE:AYI) fell around 8% on Thursday after the company reported mixed fiscal second-quarter 2026 results, as a revenue miss offset an earnings beat.

On the economic data front, U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 9,000 to 202,000 in the fourth week of March, compared to market estimates of 212,000. The U.S. goods trade deficit increased to $83.5 billion in February versus a revised $80.9 billion in the prior month.

Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed on a positive note, with real estate, inflation technology and consumer staples stocks recording the biggest gains on Thursday. However, health care and consumer discretionary stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.

The Dow Jones closed lower by around 61 points to 46,504.67 on Thursday. The S&P 500 rose 0.11% to 6,582.69, while the Nasdaq Composite surged 0.18% at 21,879.18 during Thursday's session.

What Is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

At a current reading of 15.3, the index remained in the “Extreme Fear” zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 13.8.

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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