Individual Investor Sentiment Turns Bearish, But Some Strategists Urge Buying

A rising number of individual stock market investors describe themselves as bearish, according to a report by CNBC, marking the highest level of pessimism recorded since the early weeks of the Trump administration's tariff rollout in May 2025.

The report said the shift in sentiment reflects growing unease among retail investors about the direction of equity markets, even as broader market conditions remain closely watched by analysts.

Despite the increase in bearish sentiment, CNBC reported that some market bulls continue to advise investors to keep buying stocks, arguing that pessimism among individual investors does not necessarily signal an imminent market downturn.

CNBC did not provide additional details in the excerpt regarding the specific data source behind the sentiment measure or the reasoning offered by bullish strategists for maintaining their buy recommendations.

The report draws a comparison to May 2025, when the rollout of tariffs under the Trump administration was cited as a period of heightened investor anxiety, suggesting current sentiment levels have returned to a similarly cautious point.