MacroRadar Sentiment Index
7-component fear & greed proxy built from market and economic data
65
Greed
MacroRadar Sentiment Index (since 1990)
Components
Market Volatility (VIX)
16.76
Growth Breadth (NASDAQ 12m)
1.95
Market Momentum (S&P vs 125d MA)
8.49
Consumer Sentiment
49.80
Safe Haven (Stocks vs Gold 20d)
6.64
Yield Curve (10Y-2Y)
0.43
Credit Spread (HY OAS)
2.78
What this means
Sentiment is tilted toward greed. Markets are confident and risk appetite is healthy. This is a normal condition during expansion, but elevated sentiment combined with other late-cycle signals warrants attention.
How the Sentiment Index works
The MacroRadar Sentiment Index combines 7 components spanning market behavior, consumer confidence, credit conditions, and economic momentum into a single 0-100 score. Each component is scored relative to its own historical distribution — self-calibrating, so readings are always comparable across time.
This is not the CNN Fear & Greed Index. MacroRadar's index uses economic data (not just market data) and extends back to 1990, providing sentiment context through multiple full economic cycles.
How sentiment affects portfolios
In neutral-to-moderate sentiment ranges, allocation decisions should be driven by the macro regime rather than sentiment alone. Sentiment confirms or contradicts the regime signal — when both align, the signal is stronger.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MacroRadar Sentiment Index?
A composite indicator that measures whether economic and market conditions reflect fear (risk aversion) or greed (risk appetite). It combines 7 components — spanning volatility, credit spreads, consumer confidence, employment trends, and market momentum — into a single 0-100 score.
Is low sentiment a buy signal?
Historically, very low sentiment readings (below 25) have been followed by above-average 12-month returns. However, sentiment alone is not a timing tool — it works best when combined with regime context. Low sentiment during a healthy economy is very different from low sentiment during an unfolding recession.
How is this different from the CNN Fear & Greed Index?
MacroRadar's index uses economic indicators (employment, consumer confidence, credit conditions) in addition to market data, making it a broader measure of economic sentiment. It also extends back to 1990, covering multiple full business cycles including the dot-com crash, the 2008 financial crisis, and the 2020 pandemic — providing much deeper historical context.
How often is the sentiment index updated?
Daily. Each component updates at its own frequency — some daily (VIX, credit spreads), some weekly (jobless claims), some monthly (consumer sentiment). The composite recalculates whenever any component updates.