As of 11 November 2026Updated every morning
Fear and Greed Index for stocks
Fear or greed in the stock market? The index measures six signals and can be checked back to 2009. With Pro you get an email as soon as it changes zone.
Fear
- Previous day
- 25Fear
- A week ago
- 32Fear
- A month ago
- 36Fear
- A year ago
- 50Neutral
What history shows
+13%
S&P 500 one year after extreme fear
22 of 27
One year after the most extreme day, the S&P 500 stood higher in 22 of 27 phases of extreme fear since 2009. Measured from every single day of extreme fear, it was 85% of days. 3 more are less than a year ago.
+15%
S&P 500 one year after extreme greed
Each figure is the median of all days since 2009, calculated with prices excluding dividends. This is a look back, not a forecast and not investment advice.
Index and S&P 500 since 2009
Teal and blue mean fear, purple and pink mean greed. Over long periods each point is the average of several days.
Highest value in this period
77 Greed, 14 Aug 2026
Lowest value in this period
10 Extreme fear, 27 Mar 2026
This is a look back, not a forecast. The index starts in September 2009 because every day needs the two years before it for comparison.
What happened after each zone
How the S&P 500 developed after the days in each zone. Shown are the median of all days since 2009 and the share of days after which it stood higher.
Consecutive days overlap, so there are fewer independent cases than days. Past prices say nothing about future ones. Not investment advice.
The six signals
Every signal sits between 0 and 100. The index is their average.
S&P 500 trend
17Extreme fearDistance of the S&P 500 from its 125-day line, measured against the last two years.
Volatility
3Extreme fearHow restless the S&P 500 was over the last 20 days, measured against its last 50 days. Calm means greed, turbulence means fear.
Stocks versus bonds
13Extreme fearWhen stocks beat safe government bonds, investors want risk.
High yield bonds
76GreedWhen risky bonds beat solid ones, the appetite for risk is high.
Market breadth
33FearShare of all US stocks above their 200-day line, measured against the last two years.
Highs versus lows
66GreedHow many US stocks are near their 52-week high and how many near their 52-week low, measured against the last two years.
Breadth and highs versus lows use today's roughly 3,100 US stocks. Early years therefore miss companies that did not make it to today.
The stock index does not feed into the MEQIRI Score, it only puts the situation in context.
The most extreme days since 2009
The most extreme day of each phase and where the price stood one year later.
Greatest fear
S&P 500 one year later- 010 August 2011+25%
- 09 March 2020+41%
- 04 April 2025+30%
- 110 October 2014+6%
- 124 August 2015+16%
Greatest greed
S&P 500 one year later- 9426 July 2016+14%
- 9323 July 2013+17%
- 929 December 2016+18%
- 9225 July 2023+19%
- 9120 May 2013+12%
Questions and answers
What is the Fear and Greed Index?
A mood barometer for the stock market. 0 means extreme fear, 100 extreme greed. It shows whether investors are running for cover or reaching for risk.
How does MEQIRI calculate the stock index?
From six signals: trend and volatility of the S&P 500, stocks versus government bonds, risky versus solid bonds, market breadth, and 52-week highs versus lows. All six are measured against the last two years. Breadth is the share of all roughly 3,100 US stocks above their 200-day line, and highs versus lows is the share of stocks near their 52-week high among all stocks near either their high or their low. The volatility of the S&P 500 counts against its average of the last 50 days. Each signal sits between 0 and 100, and the index is their average.
How is it different from the CNN Fear and Greed Index?
The idea is the same. MEQIRI uses its own price data, measures S&P 500 volatility itself instead of using the VIX, and uses no options data. Every signal is shown openly on the stocks page, with history since 2009.
How often is the index updated?
Every morning, with the closing prices of the last US trading day.
Is extreme fear a buy signal?
No. The index measures mood, it does not predict prices. Since 2009 the S&P 500 was mostly higher one year after extreme fear, but the past is no guarantee. Not investment advice.
Not investment advice. The Fear and Greed Index measures mood and does not predict where prices will go.