Market Pulse

Dow's roughly 724-point decline marks worst 1-day stumble in 6 weeks

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished sharply lower as losses gathered steam late Thursday, producing the worst loss in a single-session for the blue-chip gauge since Feb.8. Back then in early February, the Dow DJIA-1.84% fell 1,033 points, or 4.2%, as inflation fears perked up. Thursday's downtrend, which was broad based, came as investors fretted about the effect of a potential trade war between China and the U.S., and as the market digested the latest policy update from the Federal Reserve. Reports of the resignation of President Donald Trump's lead attorney, handling the Russia probe, also appeared to rattle investor confidence. The Dow closed down about 724 points, or 2.9%, at 23,958. More broadly, the S&P 500 index SPX-1.16% ended down by 2.5% at 2,644, while the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP-0.13% was off 2.4% at 7,166.

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