Nasdaq Jumps Over 200 Points As Software Stocks Rebound: Investor Sentiment Improves, Fear & Greed Index Moves To 'Neutral' Zone

Market Sentiment - The CNN Money Fear and Greed index improved, moving to the "Neutral" zone with a current reading of 48.3, up from 43.9 [3] - This index measures market sentiment, indicating that higher fear pressures stock prices while higher greed has the opposite effect [3] Stock Market Performance - U.S. stocks mostly closed higher, with the Nasdaq Composite increasing by over 200 points during the session [1] - The Dow Jones index reached a record high, closing higher by approximately 20 points at 50,135.87 [2] - The S&P 500 rose by 0.47% to 6,964.82, while the Nasdaq Composite increased by 0.90% to 23,238.67 [2] Sector Performance - Most sectors on the S&P 500 ended positively, with materials, energy, and information technology stocks showing the largest gains [2] - In contrast, consumer staples and health care stocks closed lower, diverging from the overall market trend [2]