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

U.S. stocks settled mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 100 points during the session. However, the index recorded losses for the third consecutive month as economic data began reflecting the impact of Trump tariffs.

The S&P 500 fell around 0.8% in April, while the Dow tumbled 3.2% for the period. The Nasdaq, however, gained 0.9% for the month.

U.S. GDP shrank by 0.3% in the last quarter, marking the first economic contraction since 2022 and missing forecasts for a 0.4% expansion. Labor market data also disappointed. The ADP National Employment Report showed private employers added just 62,000 jobs in April—the weakest gain in nine months and well below the expected 108,000.

Caterpillar Inc. ( CAT ) reported downbeat first-quarter 2025 results. Wabash National Corporation ( WNC ) , meanwhile, reported worse-than-expected first-quarter financial results and issued FY25 guidance below estimates

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

The Dow Jones closed higher by around 142 points to 40,669.36 on Wednesday. The S&P 500 gained 0.15% to 5,569.06, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.09% to 17,446.34 during Wednesday's session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results from McDonald’s Corporation , Amazon.com, Inc. ( AMZN ) and Apple Inc. ( AAPL ) today.

At a current reading of 35, the index remained in the “Fear” zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 35.8.

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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