AAII: Bearish sentiment climbs to third-highest reading on record

Published 04/04/2025, 13:46
© Reuters

Investing.com -- U.S. investor sentiment has swung to a markedly bearish stance this week, following a series of tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.

The tariffs have raised concerns about the potential for a recession and initiated a significant drop in equities. According to a survey from the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII), bearish sentiment, defined as the anticipation of falling stock prices over the next six months, increased by 9.8% to 61.9% in the week leading up to Wednesday.

This level of bearish sentiment is the third highest ever recorded. The last time bearish sentiment was higher was on March 5, 2009, when it reached 70.3% amidst the turmoil of the great financial crisis.

Prior to that, it peaked at 67% on October 18, 1990, a year of significant turbulence in the stock market.

Global markets selloff accelerated on Friday after China announced an additional 34% tariff on all imports from the U.S. This move is seen as a retaliation to the U.S. levies and is expected to exacerbate trade tensions between the two nations.

Chinese stocks listed in the U.S. experienced further losses in premarket trading on the news.

Similarly, futures contracts on the S&P 500 fell 2.5%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures dropped 2.9%, adding to the losses from Thursday.

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