Nasdaq Gains 100 Points Ahead Of Fed Decision: Fear & Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Fear' Zone

Market Sentiment - The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a slight decrease to 21.5, remaining in the "Extreme Fear" zone, compared to a previous reading of 21.6 [5][6] - The index indicates that higher fear levels can exert downward pressure on stock prices, while higher greed can have the opposite effect [6] Stock Market Performance - U.S. stocks mostly closed higher, with the Dow Jones increasing by approximately 47 points to 46,993.26, the S&P 500 gaining 0.25% to 6,716.09, and the Nasdaq Composite rising by 0.47% to 22,479.53 [4] - Most sectors on the S&P 500 ended positively, particularly energy, consumer discretionary, and communication services, while consumer staples and health care sectors closed lower [4] Economic Indicators - Private employers in the U.S. added an average of 9,000 jobs per week during the four weeks ending February 28, a decrease from the revised average of 14,750 jobs per week in the previous period [3] - The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's general business activity index improved to -22.6 in March from -25.7 in the prior month [3]