Fear Greed

Definition ∞ Fear and Greed, in the context of financial markets, refers to the two primary emotional drivers that can influence investor behavior and market dynamics. Extreme fear can lead to panic selling and a contraction in asset values, while excessive greed can drive speculative bubbles and unsustainable price inflation. These psychological states are often observed to correlate with market tops and bottoms, suggesting their importance in understanding market cycles. Analyzing these sentiments provides insight into collective investor psychology.
Context ∞ Current analyses of Fear and Greed sentiment in cryptocurrency markets are closely watched as potential leading indicators of price reversals. Discussions often involve the development of indices that quantify these emotions based on various market data points, such as social media activity, trading volumes, and price action. The prevailing sentiment, whether leaning towards fear or greed, is frequently cited as a crucial factor in short-term market outlooks and trading strategies.