The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed further 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 Dow Jones index jumping around 275 points during the session as tentative Lebanon–Israel diplomatic overtures introduced a fragile layer of optimism into an otherwise tense geopolitical backdrop.

In earnings, shares of Neogen Corp. (NASDAQ:NEOG) fell around 3% on Thursday after the company reported results for the third quarter. Shares of Simply Good Foods Co. (NASDAQ:SMPL) dipped 18% after the company reported mixed second-quarter financial results and cut its FY26 guidance below estimates.

On the economic data front, the U.S. PCE price index increased 0.4% month-over-month in February, up from January’s 0.3% growth. U.S. initial jobless claims increased by 16,000 from the previous week to 219,000 in the week ending April 4, versus market estimates of 212,000.

The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 0.5% in the fourth quarter. That’s a sharp deceleration from the 4.4% pace recorded in the third quarter and a downward revision of 0.2 percentage points from the prior estimate, primarily due to weaker investment data.

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

The Dow Jones closed higher by around 276 points to 48,185.80 on Thursday. The S&P 500 rose 0.62% to 6,824.66, while the Nasdaq Composite surged 0.83% at 22,822.42 during Thursday's session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results from Lotus Technology Inc. (NYSE:LOT) and Children’s Place Inc. (NASDAQ:PLCE) today.

What Is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

At a current reading of 36.1, the index remained in the “Fear” zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 34.4.

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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