U.S. equities closed mostly higher on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite surging 1.12% to new all-time highs, propelled by continued strength in technology stocks amid the AI frenzy. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) notably gained over 11% following its OpenAI investment, while Micron Technology (MU) rose 6%, though energy and financial sectors bucked the trend with declines. Investors are now awaiting key earnings reports from companies including PepsiCo and Delta Air Lines, with the CNN Money Fear and Greed index remaining in the 'Neutral' zone.
The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed an improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Wednesday. U.S. stocks settled mostly higher on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite surging more than 1% during the session, also hitting fresh all-time intraday and closing highs following another relentless surge in technology stocks. The AI frenzy is still in full swing. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) surged over 11%, while Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) gained around 6%. AMD has recorded sharp gains in the past three sessions following its landmark investment in OpenAI, marking its strongest three-day rally since April 2016. Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed on a positive note, with industrials, information technology and utilities stocks recording the biggest gains on Wednesday. However, energy and financial stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower. The Dow Jones closed lower by around 1 point to 46,601.78 on Wednesday. The S&P 500 rose 0.58% to 6,753.72, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.12% at 23,043.38 during Wednesday's session. Investors are awaiting earnings results from PepsiCo Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP), Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) and Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) today. What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index? At a current reading of 53.4, the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 50.4. 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. Read Next: Photo via Shutterstock © 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. U.S. equities closed predominantly higher on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite achieving new all-time intraday and closing highs by surging 1.12% to 23,043.38. This market strength was largely fueled by a persistent "AI frenzy" driving technology stocks, while the S&P 500 also rose 0.58% to 6,753.72. The CNN Money Fear and Greed index, though remaining in the "Neutral" zone at 53.4, showed an improvement from its prior reading of 50.4, indicating slightly shifting sentiment. Technology stocks were the primary beneficiaries of this rally, exemplified by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) which soared over 11% following its OpenAI investment, marking its strongest three-day gain since April 2016. Micron Technology (MU) also secured approximately 6% gains, reinforcing the sector's momentum. While most S&P 500 sectors, including industrials and utilities, closed positively, energy and financial stocks notably underperformed, closing lower. Despite the broad positive sentiment in tech, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed marginally lower by one point, suggesting some divergence beyond growth-oriented indices. Investors are now keenly awaiting upcoming earnings reports from major companies such as PepsiCo (PEP), Delta Air Lines (DAL), and Levi Strauss & Co. (LEVI), which could provide further market direction and insights into broader economic health.
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