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 higher on Thursday, with the Nasdaq Composite surging more than 200 points during the session as a fresh wave of U.S. sanctions targeting Russia’s oil giants sparked a sharp rebound in crude prices and lifted energy shares.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sweeping restrictions on Rosneft and Lukoil, ramping up pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. ( AAL ) gained more than 5% on Thursday after the company announced better-than-expected third-quarter 2025 financial results and offered strong forward guidance. Tesla Inc. ( TSLA ) shares rose around 2% on Thursday after the company posted results for the third quarter.

On the economic data front, U.S. existing home sales increased 1.5% month-over-month to an annualized rate of 4.06 million in September, up from 4.0 million in the previous month. The Kansas City Fed’s Manufacturing Production Index rose to 15 in October from 4 in September.

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

The Dow Jones closed higher by around 144 points to 46,734.61 on Thursday. The S&P 500 rose 0.58% to 6,738.44, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.89% at 22,941.80 during Thursday's session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results from Procter & Gamble Co ( PG ) , General Dynamics Corp. ( GD ) and Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp. ( BAH ) today.

What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

At a current reading of 28.1, the index remained in the “Fear” zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 26.0.

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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