S&P 500 Edges Higher: Investor Fear Eases Slightly, Greed Index Remains In 'Fear' Zone

Market Overview - The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some easing in the overall fear level, remaining in the "Fear" zone with a current reading of 37.3, up from 36.1 [4] - U.S. stocks settled slightly higher on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 gaining around 0.1% during the session [1] - All major indices recorded losses last week, with the S&P 500 falling 1.4%, the Dow declining 1.2%, and the Nasdaq experiencing a weekly loss of 2.1% [1] Economic Data - The NY Empire State Manufacturing Index declined to 7.1 in February, down from 7.7 in the previous month and below market estimates of 7 [2] Sector Performance - Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed negatively, with consumer staples, energy, and materials stocks recording the biggest losses on Tuesday [2] - Real estate and financial stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher [2]