The CNN Money Fear and Greed index revealed a slight downturn in overall market sentiment, although it still hovered within the “Greed” territory on Tuesday.

While U.S. stocks closed with a mixed outcome on Tuesday, the Dow Jones index experienced a marginal dip during the trading day.

Inflation Data Pointers Awaited

Wednesday will see the release of March inflation figures. Analysts are anticipating a 0.3% uptick in inflation on a monthly basis.

Impacted Sectors and Key Players

The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dwindled for the third consecutive month, hitting a March figure of 88.5, falling short of the anticipated 90.2.

Cognyte Software Ltd. (CGNT) shares saw a 14% decline following the disclosure of fourth-quarter results and fiscal year 2025 projections. Tilray Brands, Inc. (TLRY) witnessed a more substantial plummet of over 20% after failing to meet third-quarter estimates and retracting its forecast for positive adjusted free cash flow for fiscal year 2024.

Market Performance Overview

Despite a mixed closing for U.S. stocks, most sectors within the S&P 500 ended positively on Tuesday. Noteworthy gains were registered by real estate, utilities, and consumer staples, while financial and industrial stocks deviated from this trend with a session close in the negative.

Stock Index Wrap-Up

At the market close on Tuesday, the Dow Jones inched down by approximately 9 points to reach 38,883.67. The S&P 500 displayed a modest gain of 0.14% at 5,209.91, and the Nasdaq Composite surged by 0.32% to 16,306.64.

Upcoming Earnings Reports

Investors are eagerly anticipating earnings releases from Lakeland Industries, Inc. (LAKE), Richardson Electronics, Ltd. (RELL), and Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) today.

Diving Deeper into Investor Sentiment

The Fear & Greed Index serves as a barometer for prevailing market sentiment, reflecting the interplay between fear-induced selling pressure and the buoyancy triggered by greed. This index, derived from seven equally weighted indicators, ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 denotes peak fear and 100 signifies maximum exuberance.