Dive into the pulse of the stock market with our live fear and greed index charts! Instantly uncover investor sentiment, spot the turning points between bull and bear markets, and gain the insights you need to time your stock trades like a pro.
Our Fear and Greed Index goes beyond the basics, offering nine real-time and historical charts to help you stay ahead. With live data from the Federal Reserve, VIX CBOE, and 15 technical stock price signals, you’ll have the tools to make smarter decisions today.
Think of this as a modern upgrade to the classic CNN Fear and Greed Index. By combining cutting-edge sentiment indicators with essential technical analysis, you can easily assess the current state of fear and greed in the US markets—and turn those insights into action.
What is a Fear and Greed Index?
The fear and greed index is your window into the emotions driving the stock market—fear during bear markets and greed during bull markets.
This powerful tool helps you decode market psychology by combining data on stock prices, trading volume, and investor sentiment. Whether you’re navigating a market dip or a buying frenzy, the fear and greed index empowers you to make smarter, more confident investing decisions.
Our fear and greed index charts reveal what investors are really feeling. When greed takes over, investors start buying, driving demand—and stock prices—higher.
When people feel fear, they sell stocks, which decreases stock prices and increases volatility as measured by the CBOE VIX index.
Fear = Sell = More Supply of Stocks for Sale = Stock Price Decreases.
Greed = Buy = More Demand for Stocks = Stock Price Increases
1. Fear & Greed Index
Our first chart is a fear and greed index indicator, a buy-and-sell gauge powered by TradingView. This index is an excellent way to measure fear and greed, combining 16 of the most popular technical supply and demand price and volume indicators to establish a buy-and-sell signal.
- Strong Sell = Extreme Fear
- Sell = Fear
- Neutral = Balance
- Buy = Greed
- Strong Buy = Extreme Greed
2. CBOE VIX Volatility
The Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index (VIX) measures fear by comparing the price volatility of Put Options versus Call Options. Put Options are purchased when a market participant believes the stock price will go down; this protects their assets, like insurance.
A Call Option is purchased when a trader believes that the stock price will increase.
Ultimately, the index measures the volatility of those prices. A low VIX price indicates a good market and that stock prices will continue on their normal upward trajectory.
How Does the VIX Fear Gauge Work?
A high VIX price above 30 indicates that more Put contracts are being purchased, that investors are fearful, and that they are covering their trades with downside insurance.
A VIX Volatility Index Above 30 Indicates Fear.
3. NYSE Advance-Decline Ratio
< 1 = Fear – > 2 = Greed
The New York Stock Exchange Advance Decline Ratio is the number of stocks with a price increase for the day divided by the number of stocks with a price decline for the day. Price is ultimately the decider of fear and greed, and rising stock prices mean people feel bullish.
How does the NYSE A/D Ratio work?
A ratio of 1 means that there was one advancing stock for every one declining stock; above two means that the market is in greed mode, with two stocks rising to every one falling.
Tip: Use the mouse scroll wheel to change and interact with the chart timeframes
4. S&P 500 Weekly Moving Averages
Fear = Price < Moving Average – Greed = Price > Moving Average
Here, we take the S&P500 weekly chart and plot a 9-period moving average. The price line is the thicker blue line, and the moving average is the thinner line. When the price is above the moving average indicator, this is bullish, meaning the main price trend is up; therefore, investors are greedy.
How does the S&P500 Chart Work?
When the price line is below the moving average, this indicates fear. We are using a weekly line chart to estimate the market’s long-term trend; this helps you make better long-term investing decisions.
Tip: Use the mouse scroll wheel to change and interact with the chart timeframes
5. Federal Reserve Bank Financial Stress Index
Financial stress is defined as interruptions to the normal functioning of the financial markets. This important leading indicator, published monthly, gives valuable insight into investor stress in the financial markets. Measures include the TED spread, Swap spread, Stock Bond Correlation, Bank Stock Volatility, and more.
How Does the Financial Stress Index Work?
When the value line is above zero or positive, this indicates that financial stress is above the historical average (fear). A value below zero indicates the normal functioning of the markets (greed). A value above 0.8 typically indicates severe stress and fear in the markets; this occurred in 1999, 2007, and 2020. In September 2008, the index spiked to a value of 6.
Tip: Use the mouse scroll wheel to interact with the chart timeframes. Scroll back to 1999 and 2007 to see the rise of the stress line.
6. S&P 500 Buy & Sell Indicator
7. Nasdaq 100 Buy & Sell Indicator
8. Dow Jones 30 Buy & Sell Indicator
9. Russell 2000 Indicator
Fear & Greed Buy/Sell Gauges
The four fear and greed indicators above are powered by TradingView, which cleverly designed these Buy-Sell Gauges based on technical analysis. Technical Analysis evaluates market direction using stock price and volume to determine underlying supply and demand.
This is a much better indicator than, for example, the AAII Sentiment indicator because, as we know, most investors are wrong at key points in the major market turns. The buy-sell indicators are based on 26 different well-established technical indicators:
Moving Averages
- 6 Simple Moving Averages with timeframes 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200
- 6 Exponential Moving Averages 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200
- Ichimoku Cloud (9, 26, 52, 26)
- Volume Weighted Moving Average (20)
- Hull Moving Average (9)
How do the Buy Sell Technical Indicators Work?
When any of the above technical indicators is a buy or a sell, it counts as 1 point. When it is unclear, it counts as neutral. Now, take a look at the Buy Sell Indicators below to see the average rating and the buy-sell and neutral ratings.
Oscillator Indicators
- Relative Strength Index (14)
- Stochastics %K (14, 3, 3)
- Commodity Channel Index CCI (20)
- Average Directional Index (14)
- Awesome Oscillator
- Momentum (10)
- Moving Average Convergence Divergence MACD (12, 27)
- Stochastic RSI Fast (3, 3, 14, 14)
- Williams Percent Range (14)
- Bull Bear Power
- Ultimate Oscillator (7, 14, 28)
FAQ
What does the fear and greed index mean?
A fear and greed index visualizes investors’ pessimism (fear) or optimism (greed). When investors feel fear, they are more likely to sell assets, pushing prices down; when they feel greed, they are likely to buy or at least hold assets, pushing prices up.
How does a fear and greed index work?
Fear and greed indexes typically combine multiple technical and sentiment charts to paint a picture of investors’ and traders’ overall short/medium-term attitude.
What are the signs of fear and greed in the stock market?
Fear and greed are two emotions that play an important role in stock market trading, as investors are influenced by their feelings when making decisions. Signs of fear in the stock market include a decrease in buying activity, an increase in short selling, reduced demand for riskier investments, and increased demand for safer investments. On the other hand, signs of greed in the stock market include an increase in buying activity, a decrease in short selling, increased demand for riskier investments, and reduced demand for safer investments.
What is market sentiment?
Market sentiment measures investors’ overall attitude toward a particular security or market. It is based on the expectations and opinions of market participants, which can be derived from technical analysis, news events, and investor sentiment surveys. Market sentiment can be used in trading strategies to identify potential buying and selling opportunities, provide insight into underlying market conditions, or inform risk management decisions.
What is a market sentiment indicator?
A market sentiment indicator is designed to help inform us about the level of optimism or pessimism of current stock market traders and investors. For example, the VIX Volatility Index measures the levels of stock options activity in the market.
Thank you very much for this beautiful artice. This is really great & helpful. I enjoy reading it. I appreciate your thoughts & ideas. Well done.
Hi
Hope you well
At the beginning , I would highly thankful for sharing the article. I have two questions if you answer I really grateful.
1- After analysis all indicator, you sum the all indicator to finalize the sentiment , Is it right ?
2-whats the correlation between DXY and the LST Fear and Greed Index ?
Hi Amir, yes you can summarize all indicators to get a feel for fear and greed. Also, don’t forget the Tradingview gauges that provide excellent technical sentiment on any given day. Additionally, I felt no need to correlate the DXY and the LST Fear and Greed Index.
Barry
Thank you very much for this beautiful article. This is really great & informative. I read it & learn about many things. I appreciate your thoughts. Well done.
The financial stress index indication is wrong, what you write is: ‘Kansas City Financial Stress Index – Extreme Fear = Price < 1 – Greed = Price < 1' Both are less than 1?
Thank you Taoli Liu for spotting this error, I have corrected it now.
Barry
hope you will be fine. If you please share methodology of your research
Hi Owais, The methodology is based on the knowledge of 100 years of technical analysis and learning started by Charles Dow. Each of the indicators are well known for Financial Technical Analysts (CFTE) like myself, and Chartered Market Technicians (CMT). I have simply brought what I believe are the important indicators together and explain how they work.
sir can u please share the methodology. I am research student and I am TRYING TO DEVELOP INDEX for my home country
Hi Zaheer, the methodology is all based on Technical & Fundamental Analysis. Each of the charts is actually well-known indices and indicators. When they are brought together they actually provide a good overview of the current market condition. For your own country, you will need to find similar indicators, for volatility, sentiment, volume and financial stress.
Hello,
And thank you for sharing your model with the public. I was wondering if you have any historical evidence that showed the model picked the buy and sell times correctly?
Sincerely,
Saeid
Hi Saeid, yes I cover many of these indicators in my book & training course.
https://www.liberatedstocktrader.com/stock-market-training/
thanks for the question
Barry
This is a top way to assess the market direction, thanks for putting it together. I really like the AAII sentiment and the technical indicators,
Thanks David, I am glad you like it
I see the 9 indicators. Where is the Fear-Greed index? I was looking for a single number that combines all the 9 indicators similar to what the CNN Fear Greed Index provides.
Hi Murali, long time no speak. I want the investor to make up their own mind as to the overall direction. It is never as simple as a single number.
I’m not sure this qualifies as an “Index” if it limited to a list of 9 indicators. The CNN also using distinct indicators which are then combined into an “index”. No one should make decisions based on a single index or calculation, of course. But an “index” does sum up all the “indicators”.
Hello Barry how do you understand this indicator. Does 26 points sell strong and buy 26 points strong sell? I ask for an answer
thanks Eddy
Hi Eddy, are you referring to the AAII indicator? If so, use it as a contrary indicator, when everyone is greedy be fearful. When everyone is fearful, be greedy.
Halo Barry
26 Punkte Strong buy heisst verkaufen ,26 punkte strong sell heißt heißt kaufen?
Gruß Eddy
Hi Eddy, Ja.
Hallo Barry
Wie finde ich die beste DJIA index kurzfristige , mittelfristige käufe und verkäufe( boden und gipfel)Im 100 jährige chart sieht es ungenau
Grüsse Eddy
Hi Eddy, I do not have a 100 year chart here. But you can use your mouse to scroll in and out of the chart to zoom in.
This is a really great set of charts, its now very clear, I will be using this in the future. Will checking it weekly be often enough?
Yes I think weekly is a good starting point. thanks Erik
Hi Barry, excellent extract from the plethora of indicators floating around. I am not able to (can not) follow the stocks to be able to trade and respond in time. I therefor pay more attention to fundamentals of the company. Do you look into that aspect as well? cheers BK
Hi BK, thanks for the comment, yes I sure do watch the fundamentals. It is always a time and effort versus return. There is no solid evidence to suggest that day trading makes more people wealthy than long-term investing. In fact, it is longer-term investing that wins that battle, so understanding the fundamentals is very important. The fear & greed index is to help people understand the state of the market overall, and help you make the big decisions
Great story here!!!
Bary,
This is terrific, and hopefully you’ve patented the” Modern Fear and Greed index”
It should be immediately expanded and published /updated Daily/Weekly.
More feedback ahead
Thank you, for this compelling sentiment illumination.
THE_UNWIND
New York
Hi Joe, well I am very glad you like it. It is self updating using the tradingview technology.
Barry