Dow Hits Record High After US Strike On Venezuela: Investor Sentiment Improves, Fear & Greed Index Remains In 'Neutral Zone

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Monday.

U.S. stocks settled higher on Monday, with the Dow Jones index gaining almost 600 points during the session, reaching a fresh all-time high, in response to the raids against Venezuela over the weekend, which culminated in the capture of the country’s President Nicolás Maduro.

Stocks recorded sharp gains in 2025, with the S&P 500 surging 16.39% for the year, recording its third consecutive double-digit annual surge, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 20.36%. The Dow, meanwhile, added 12.97% in 2025.

On the economic data front, the ISM manufacturing PMI declined for a third straight month to 47.9 in December, recording the lowest reading since October 2024, versus a reading of 48.2 in November and market estimates of 48.3.

Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed on a positive note, with energy, financial, and consumer discretionary materials stocks recording the biggest gains on Monday. However, consumer staples and utilities stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.

The Dow Jones closed higher by around 595 points to 48,977.18 on Monday. The S&P 500 gained 0.64% to 6,902.05, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.69% at 23,395.82 during Monday’s session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results AngioDynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ANGO), AAR Corp (NYSE:AIR), and Penguin Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:PENG) today.

What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

At a current reading of 46.8, the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Monday, versus a prior reading of 44.7.

The Fear & Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.

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