Dow Falls Over 150 Points Even As Citi, Bank Of America Earnings Beat Expectations: Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Fear' Zone

Market Sentiment - The CNN Money Fear and Greed index increased to a reading of 18.4, remaining in the "Extreme Fear" zone, down from a previous reading of 19.6 [5][6] - The overall fear level in the market is reflected in the decline of U.S. stocks, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 150 points [1][3] Company Earnings - Citigroup Inc. reported better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter [1] - Bank of America Corporation also posted stronger-than-expected earnings for its first quarter [1] - Investors are awaiting earnings results from Abbott Laboratories, The Travelers Companies Inc., and The Progressive Corp. [4] Economic Indicators - The NY Empire State Manufacturing Index improved to -8.1 in April from -20 in the previous month [2] - U.S. export prices remained unchanged in March, compared to a revised 0.5% gain in February [2] - U.S. import prices decreased by 0.1% in March, following a revised 0.2% gain in February [2] Market Performance - Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed negatively, with consumer discretionary, health care, and consumer staples experiencing the largest losses [3] - Information technology and real estate sectors closed higher, contrasting with the overall market trend [3] - The Dow Jones closed lower by approximately 156 points to 40,368.96, while the S&P 500 fell 0.17% to 5,396.63, and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.05% to 16,823.17 [3]