2023-04-20 17:58:11 ET
Summary
- Bullish sentiment, expectations that stock prices will rise over the next six months, increased 1.2 percentage points to 27.2%.
- Neutral sentiment, expectations that stock prices will stay essentially unchanged over the next six months, decreased 1.8 percentage points to 37.7%.
- Bearish sentiment, expectations that stock prices will fall over the next six months, increased 0.6 percentage points to 35.1%.
Pessimism among individual investors remains above average for the ninth consecutive week in the latest AAII Sentiment Survey. Neutral sentiment decreased, while optimism slightly increased.
Bullish sentiment, expectations that stock prices will rise over the next six months, increased 1.2 percentage points to 27.2%. Optimism remains at an unusually low level. Bullish sentiment remains below its historical average of 37.5% for the 72nd time out of the past 74 weeks.
Neutral sentiment, expectations that stock prices will stay essentially unchanged over the next six months, decreased 1.8 percentage points to 37.7%. Neutral sentiment continues to be above its historical average for the 15th time out of the past 16 weeks.
Bearish sentiment, expectations that stock prices will fall over the next six months, increased 0.6 percentage points to 35.1%. After a stretch of unusually high levels, pessimism has been reverting closer to its average for the last three weeks. However, bearish sentiment is still above its historical average of 31.0% for the 69th time out of the past 74 weeks.
The bull-bear spread (bullish minus bearish sentiment) increased 0.5 percentage points to -7.9%. The bull-bear spread remains below average.
Market volatility continues to be a concern for individual investors.
Though individual investors mostly approved of the latest interest rate hike being smaller, inflation, market volatility and the pace of economic growth continue to influence individual investors' short-term outlook for stocks.
This week's AAII Sentiment Survey results:
- Bullish: 27.2%, up 1.2 percentage points
- Neutral: 37.7%, down 1.8 percentage points
- Bearish: 35.1%, up 0.6 percentage points
Historical averages:
- Bullish: 37.5%
- Neutral: 31.5%
- Bearish: 31.0%
The AAII Sentiment Survey has been conducted weekly since July 1987.
For further details see:
AAII Sentiment Survey: Pessimism Stays Above Average For Ninth Consecutive Week