FTSE 100 Fear & Greed Index: 43 NEUTRAL
About this index
UK Stock Market Sentiment · Updated Daily. One number for the mood of the UK market — built from FTSE momentum, realized volatility, the pound, and how the UK is performing relative to broader Europe. A contrarian reference point, not a trading signal.
What drives it
The four components
Each one 25% of the score.
About the components
The index is an equally weighted average of four readings — each a different angle on what UK equity investors are doing. Components reflect the structural reality of the FTSE 100: a multinational-heavy, currency-sensitive index whose constituents earn most of their revenue outside the UK and trade as much on global conditions as on domestic ones.
History
How sentiment has moved
The index beside the FTSE 100.
How to read this
Daily readings since coverage began, overlaid with the FTSE 100 closing level. Bands shade the 0–100 score by sentiment zone — extreme fear at the bottom, extreme greed at the top.
Around the world
Other markets today
Methodology
How the index is built
Four readings, each ranked against the past two years, averaged equally.
How to read this
Each component is percentile-ranked against its trailing two-year distribution, then equal-weighted into a 0–100 composite. This treats every component as a contextual reading — "how unusual is today versus the recent past" — rather than an absolute threshold.
- Extreme fear0–20
- Fear21–40
- Neutral41–60
- Greed61–80
- Extreme greed81–100
Market Momentum
FTSE 100 vs its 125-day moving average, expressed as a ratio. The ratio is percentile-ranked against the trailing two years. Above the MA = positive momentum; how far above (vs history) sets the score.
Volatility
20-day annualized realized volatility of FTSE 100 daily log returns. Percentile-ranked over two years and inverted — calm conditions mean a high score (greed), elevated realized risk means a low score (fear). This measures actual UK equity volatility, not implied options volatility, and uses the same realized-vol methodology as the NIFTY, KOSPI, Nikkei, and DAX regional indices.
Currency
GBP/USD 60-day percentage change, percentile-ranked and inverted. The FTSE 100 derives ~75% of its revenue from outside the UK — Shell, BP, AstraZeneca, HSBC, Unilever, Diageo, and GSK are global multinationals that happen to be listed in London. When the pound strengthens, those foreign earnings translate to fewer pounds and the score moves toward fear; when the pound weakens, the translation tailwind moves the score toward greed. This makes the FTSE 100 unusually currency-sensitive — more so than the FTSE 250 or most other large-cap equity indices.
European RS
FTSE 100 60-day total return minus Stoxx Europe 600 60-day total return, percentile-ranked over two years. When the UK outperforms broader Europe, the score moves toward greed — typically reflecting a multinationals tailwind (commodity prices, dollar strength, defensive demand). When the UK lags, growth-oriented continental names are leading and the score moves toward fear. The Stoxx 600 contains ~22% UK weighting, which reduces signal magnitude slightly but preserves direction.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FTSE Fear & Greed Index?
A composite 0–100 score measuring UK equity market sentiment. Higher values mean greed (potentially overbought); lower values mean fear (potentially oversold). It's a contrarian reference point, not a trading signal.
Where does the data come from?
FTSE 100 closing levels come from Yahoo Finance (^FTSE). Stoxx Europe 600 levels come from Yahoo Finance (^STOXX). GBP/USD comes from the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) DEXUSUK series. Realized volatility is computed directly from FTSE daily log returns — no separate volatility source needed. Everything is daily, publicly available, and updated automatically after London close (16:30 GMT).
How is the score calculated?
Equal-weight (25% each) average of four percentile-ranked components measured against a trailing two-year distribution: Market Momentum (FTSE 100 vs 125-day MA), Volatility (20-day annualized realized vol from FTSE returns, inverted), Currency (GBP/USD 60-day change, inverted), and European Relative Strength (FTSE 60-day return minus Stoxx 600 60-day return). All four components are always present — the model has no fallback weighting.
How often is it updated?
Once per trading day, shortly after the London close (16:30 GMT).
Is there a public API?
Yes — free, no key required. The main endpoints are /api/?action=ftse (current score), /api/?action=ftse-history (full daily history as JSON), and /api/?action=ftse-history.csv (same as CSV). All responses include CORS headers so you can fetch them directly from a browser. Full reference is at /api-docs.
Is this investment advice?
No. The index is a contextual sentiment measure, not a buy/sell signal. Past patterns don't predict future returns. Consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.