Methodology

On 1 Sep 2026, @Mr_Derivatives asked for a Fear & Greed meter built from FinTwit instead of put/call ratios and junk-bond spreads. Pulse is a working sketch of that instrument.

1. 1. Sample. A rolling window of finance-flavored posts. This build uses a seeded simulator so the product is usable without an X API key. Swap the sampler for a live firehose later.
2. 2. Lexicon. Each post is scored 0–100 from bullish/bearish phrases, FOMO markers, caps, and punctuation. Neutral language stays near 50.
3. 3. Crowd split. Share of posts that clear the bull threshold versus the bear threshold.
4. 4. Ticker gravity. Risk-on names versus havens. What they talk about is as informative as how they talk.
5. 5. Influencer tilt. Follower-weighted average. Big accounts move the needle more — on purpose.
6. 6. Volume + FOMO. Timeline loudness versus baseline, plus euphoria vocabulary.

Composite weights: lexicon 22%, ratio 18%, gravity 16%, influencers 16%, volume 14%, FOMO 14%. This is a mood instrument, not a forecast.