Main US indexes gain, S&amp;P 500 up most
Comm Svcs weakest S&amp;P 500 sector; Utilities leads gainers
Euro STOXX 600 index off ~0.1%
Dollar, crude dip; gold up ~2%; bitcoin up &gt;4.5%
US 10-Year Treasury yield falls to ~4.05% Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at
INDIVIDUAL INVESTOR BEARS LEAP - AAII Pessimism among individual investors about the short-term outlook for U.S. stocks surged in the latest American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) Sentiment Survey. With this, both optimism and neutral sentiment fell.
Meanwhile, just over half of investors surveyed believe that the Federal Reserve will make two or three 25-basis-point interest rate cuts this year.
AAII reported that bearish sentiment, or expectations that stock prices will fall over the next six months, jumped 9.1 percentage points to 38.1% (highest reading since 42.7% on November 26, 2025). Bearish sentiment is above its historical average of 31.0% for the fourth time in 11 weeks.
Bullish sentiment, or expectations that stock prices will rise over the next six months, dipped 1.1 percentage points to 38.5%. Bullish sentiment is above its historical average of 37.5% for the 11th consecutive week.
Neutral sentiment, or expectations that stock prices will stay essentially unchanged over the next six months, slid 8.0 percentage points to 23.3%. Neutral sentiment is below its historical average of 31.5% for the 82nd time in 84 weeks.
The bull-bear spread tumbled 10.3 percentage points to 0.4% from 10.7% last week. The bull-bear spread is below its historical average of 6.5% for the first time in 11 weeks.
In this week’s special question, AAII asked its members how many quarter-point interest rate cuts they think the Federal Reserve will make this year.
Here is AAII’s graphic showing how they responded:
(Terence Gabriel)
<h3>EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS: LUCKY 13: CORE CPI NUDGES CLOSER TO FED INFLATION TARGET CLICK HERE US STOCKS STRUGGLE EARLY, YIELDS UNDER PRESSURE CLICK HERE US STOCK FUTURES FIRM UP SLIGHTLY, YIELDS SLIP, AFTER SOFT CPI CLICK HERE GRIT IN THE OYSTER - GOLDMAN ON CENTRAL BANK DISSENTERS CLICK HERE AI DISRUPTION IS NOT A NEGATIVE - JEFFERIES CLICK HERE LUXURY STRUGGLES ON L’OREAL RESULTS CLICK HERE EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: NOT ANOTHER AI-INDUCED SELLOFF CLICK HERE MORNING BID: NO LONGER THE APPLE OF THEIR EYE CLICK HERE</h3>
AAIIBearsLeap02132026
<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/buzz/lbvgmqbxovq/AAII02132026.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="" width="755" height="491" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/buzz/lbvgmqbxovq/AAII02132026.png"/>
<h3>AAIISQ02132026</h3>
<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/buzz/egpbbzagopq/AAIISQ02132026.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" alt="" width="1263" height="653" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/buzz/egpbbzagopq/AAIISQ02132026.png"/>

IVOV

- Major US indexes saw gains, with the S&P 500 leading the rise, while the Communication Services sector was the weakest performer.  
- The recent AAII Sentiment Survey indicated a notable increase in bearish sentiment among individual investors, rising to 38.1%, and suggesting expectations for potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.  
- Additionally, both bullish and neutral sentiments declined, reflecting a shift in investor outlook on stock prices over the next six months.

LIVE MARKETS-Individual investor bears leap - AAII