Financial markets faced another day of intense pressure on Monday, with major stock indexes and digital currencies like Bitcoin extending a recent period of significant losses.
Major Indexes and Bitcoin in the Red
As trading began on Wall Street, all three of the primary US stock indexes were down by more than a full percentage point. The sell-off was not confined to traditional assets. Bitcoin slid below the $92,000 mark, continuing a dramatic correction that has seen its value fall by more than 25% since it reached record highs in early October.
Fear & Greed Index Plunges to 14
The widespread market anxiety has severely impacted CNN's Fear & Greed Index, a popular gauge of market sentiment that analyses seven indicators of market health. By the close of trading on Monday, the reading had plummeted to 14 out of 100. This is the lowest level the index has seen since April, a period marked by market turmoil following President Donald Trump's announcement of higher-than-expected reciprocal tariff rates.
For context, the index had dropped to an extreme reading of three out of 100 in April before staging a remarkable recovery to 78 by July, when markets were achieving new records.
Tech Sector Leads the Decline
The most pronounced declines were observed within the technology sector. A sudden wave of nervousness has swept through traders, who are growing concerned that the recent boom in tech growth may be unsustainable. This has led to a cold feet approach, prompting significant sell-offs in some of the market's largest and previously high-flying companies.
This is a developing story, and further updates are expected as the market situation evolves.
