diff --git a/telegram_bot.py b/telegram_bot.py
index bb3978a..d32a281 100755
--- a/telegram_bot.py
+++ b/telegram_bot.py
@@ -1036,6 +1036,8 @@ async def cmd_status(update: Update, context: ContextTypes.DEFAULT_TYPE) -> None
 
 def _news_text(context: FundamentalContext, engine: NewsEngine) -> str:
     net, desc = engine.get_pair_sentiment(XAUUSD, context)
+    if round(net, 2) == 0:
+        net = 0.0  # a tiny negative mean would render as "-0.00"
     lines = [
         "📰 *XAU/USD News Score*\n",
         f"*Net score:* `{net:+.2f}` — {desc}",
diff --git a/test_all.py b/test_all.py
index ebd2254..580eee0 100644
--- a/test_all.py
+++ b/test_all.py
@@ -1898,6 +1898,17 @@ def _():
     assert "Bearish" in text
 
 
+@test("_news_text never renders negative zero")
+def _():
+    # Balanced feed: XAU and USD means nearly cancel → net -0.0035,
+    # which "+.2f" would render as "-0.00" without normalization.
+    ctx = FundamentalContext(news_sentiment={"XAU": 0.0238, "USD": 0.0273})
+    text = _news_text(ctx, NewsEngine(PlatformConfig().news))
+    assert "-0.00" not in text
+    assert "+0.00" in text
+    assert "Neutral" in text
+
+
 @test("_news_text degrades on empty context")
 def _():
     text = _news_text(FundamentalContext(), NewsEngine(PlatformConfig().news))