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 lower on Thursday, with the Dow Jones index dipping more than 200 points during the session, recording losses for the second straight session.

Speaking alongside Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House, President Donald Trump said Iran is "close to demolished," and the "excursion will be over soon" — but then added, "we can take out Kharg Island any time we want."

In earnings, Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) posted upbeat earnings for its fiscal second quarter and issued a cautious outlook. Shares of Envela Corp (NYSE:ELA) jumped 31% on Thursday after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results.

On the economic data front, U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 8,000 from the previous week to 205,000 in the second week of March, compared to market estimates of a 2,000 gain. The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index surged to 18.1 in March, recording the highest reading since September 2025, and up from 16.3 in February.

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

The Dow Jones closed lower by around 204 points to 46,021.43 on Thursday. The S&P 500 fell 0.27% to 6,606.49, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.28% at 22,090.69 during Thursday's session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results from Xpeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) and BitFuFu Inc. (NASDAQ:FUFU) today.

What Is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

At a current reading of 17.3, the index remained in the “Extreme Fear” zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 15.4.

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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