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

U.S. stocks settled mixed on Thursday, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining around 50 points during the session ahead of next week’s widely expected Federal Reserve rate cut.

Traders see almost no doubt the Fed will deliver a third straight 25-basis-point reduction, with futures assigning the move a nearly 90% probability.

Dollar General Corp. ( DG ) led S&P 500 gainers, soaring 14% on Thursday after posting stronger-than-expected earnings and upbeat guidance, reaching its highest level since August 2024. Salesforce Inc. ( CRM ) added around 4% following positive results. Kroger Co. ( KR ) stock fell around 5% on Thursday after the retailer posted mixed quarterly results marked by softer-than-expected revenue.

On the economic data front, U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 27,000 from the previous week to 191,000 during the last week of November. U.S.-based employers announced job cuts of 71,321 in November, up from 57,727 in the year-ago period. New orders for U.S.-manufactured goods increased 0.2% month-over-month in September compared to a revised 1.3% rise in August.

Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed on a negative note, with consumer staples, health care and consumer discretionary stocks recording the biggest losses on Thursday. However, industrials and information technology stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.

The Dow Jones closed lower by around 32 points to 47,850.94 on Thursday. The S&P 500 gained 0.11% to 6,857.12, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.22% to 23,505.14 during Thursday's session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results from Victoria’s Secret & Co. and MoneyHero Ltd. ( MNY ) today.

What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

At a current reading of 38.9, the index remained in the “Fear” zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 36.7.

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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