Investor Fear Rises Despite S P 500 Near Record High; European Markets React to US Tariffs and Company Earnings on February 28, 2025

Investor fear is growing despite the S&P 500 being near its all-time high, according to Bespoke Investment Group on February 28, 2025. The CNN Fear & Greed Index fell to 21, indicating "extreme fear," and the American Association of Individual Investors survey showed bearish sentiment surged above 60%. Despite this, the S&P 500 is only 3.1% below its record close. European markets showed mixed performance. The Euro Stoxx 50 fell by 0.5%, while the FTSE rose by 0.3%. The DAX decreased by 0.4%. This comes as investors react to new tariffs announced by US President Trump. Concerns are rising about the potential impact on China's GDP, which could be dampened by an estimated 0.46 percentage points. Company news included Forvia's stock plummeting nearly 20% after a disappointing forecast, while BASF reported that most segments started the new year as expected, except for the agriculture business. Siemens Energy announced a collaboration with Rolls-Royce to develop small modular reactors.