The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed an improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Thursday.U.S. stocks settled higher on Thursday, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 600 points during the session as investors assessed the latest reading of a key consumer inflation.All three major U.S. equity benchmarks — the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones — surged to fresh record highs on Thursday, as investors piled into risk assets on growing bets that ...

Market Overview - U.S. stocks experienced a significant rally, with all three major equity benchmarks (S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow Jones) reaching record highs as investors showed increased interest in risk assets amid expectations of falling interest rates [2] - The Dow Jones closed higher by approximately 617 points at 46,108.00, while the S&P 500 rose by 0.85% to 6,587.47, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.72% to 22,043.07 during the session [4] Economic Indicators - The CNN Money Fear and Greed index improved to a reading of 52.9, remaining in the "Neutral" zone, up from a previous reading of 49.9 [5] - U.S. inflation accelerated to 2.9% year-over-year in August, and weekly jobless claims increased to 263,000, marking the highest level since October 2021 [2] Company Performance - Kroger Co. reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings, indicating strong performance in the retail sector [3] - The Lovesac Co. saw a decline of around 15% after cutting its FY2026 GAAP EPS guidance and narrowing its sales outlook, reflecting challenges in its business outlook [3] Sector Performance - Most sectors within the S&P 500 closed positively, with consumer discretionary, health care, and materials stocks showing the largest gains [3] - Energy stocks, however, diverged from the overall market trend, closing slightly lower [3]