Using the Market Overview to Read Risk-On vs Risk-Off
A simple playbook to interpret global cross-asset signals and quickly tell if markets are leaning risk-on or risk-off.
Why cross-asset overview matters
No market moves in isolation. Equities, bonds, currencies, commodities, and crypto often reflect the same underlying sentiment—risk appetite or fear. By scanning them together, you can anticipate rotations, confirm signals, and avoid trading against the tide.
Risk-on signals
- Equities up broadly (indices and breadth strong).
- High-yield and small caps outperforming defensives.
- Commodities like oil, copper rising on growth bets.
- USD and JPY weak, risk FX (AUD, emerging markets) strong.
- Crypto majors rallying alongside equities.
Risk-off signals
- Equities down broadly; defensives (healthcare, staples) outperform.
- Bond yields falling as money flows to safety.
- Gold rising as a hedge; oil/copper often weak.
- USD and JPY strengthening, EM FX under pressure.
- Crypto correcting, especially altcoins.
How to use finstrument.ai's Market Overview
Go to the Markets page to see a live cross-asset dashboard powered by TradingView widgets. Indices, currencies, commodities, and crypto are shown together, helping you instantly gauge sentiment.
Combine it with Heatmaps for sector-level color, and the Economic Calendar to explain sudden shifts.
Putting it all together
If equities, oil, and crypto are all rising while USD and bonds are weak, it's risk-on. If gold and bonds are rallying while equities and crypto slump, it's risk-off. Training your eye to read these combinations helps you align trades with global flows.