Investor sentiment improves as bullish views rise, AAII survey shows

Investor sentiment improved modestly in the latest AAII survey, with the bullish share rising to 35.6% from 31.7%, though bearish views stayed elevated. Optimism was supported by AI enthusiasm, stronger earnings, hopes for U.S.-Iran détente and tech gains, while recession risks, policy uncertainty and valuation worries tempered sentiment. Markets reflected the upbeat tone: the S&P 500 gained about 1% during the survey week (Nasdaq ~1.45%, Dow ~0.71%), and the S&P 500 index was trading around 7,554. The piece is essentially a market-sentiment data brief, highlighting how mixed drivers are influencing positioning and short-term equity performance.