Reddit Sentiment Swings Wildly on SPY Despite Core Inflation Below Fed Target
RedditReddit(US:RDDT) 247Wallst·2026-02-18 03:24

Core Insights - The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) has experienced a decline of 1.31% over the past month, with its Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 43.91, nearing oversold territory [1] - Despite a modest one-year gain of 11.95%, investor sentiment remains cautious due to uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve's policy and concentration risk in major tech stocks [1] - Over 75% of S&P 500 firms reported year-over-year earnings growth, while core PCE inflation stands at 1.82%, below the Fed's 2% target, indicating a potential for bullish sentiment [1] Retail Investor Sentiment - Retail investors have shown mixed sentiment on social media, with discussions shifting from bullish to bearish as they debate whether current SPY levels represent a buying opportunity or further downside [1] - A notable post on Reddit's r/wallstreetbets highlighted a user’s loss of $87,300 on SPY puts, generating significant engagement and reflecting the anxiety among retail investors [1] - Current sentiment for SPY is neutral at 42.2 out of 100, influenced by recent market activity [1] Market Dynamics - Historical patterns indicate that SPY's RSI has dropped below 40 multiple times in the past year, with subsequent recoveries occurring within weeks [1] - The top three holdings in SPY—NVIDIA, Apple, and Microsoft—account for nearly 20% of the fund, raising concerns about concentration risk for investors monitoring short-term performance [1]