S&P 500 falls on Thursday as stocks resume their downward move from Russia-Ukraine war; European markets close down 1.8% with Ukraine, ECB in focus
Stocks fell Thursday after failed peace talks between Ukraine and Russia spooked investors about how the geopolitical conflict could impact global growth.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 112.18 points to 33,174.07, after rallying more than 650 points in the previous session. The S&P 500 shed 0.4% to 4,259.52. The technology-focused Nasdaq Composite fell 1% to 13,129.96, dragged down by losses in Apple and Meta Platforms.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 dropped 1.8% by the close, with autos shedding 4.8% to lead losses as almost all sectors and major bourses slid into the red.
Amazon shares jumped 5.4% after the company announced a 20-for-1 stock split and $10 billion buyback. CrowdStrike rallied 12.5% following an earnings beat and raising its outlook.
The consumer price index, a key inflation gauge, showed a wide-ranging basket of goods and services increased 7.9% in February, a fresh 40-year high. This was a touch higher than the estimate of 7.8% for the year, according to economists surveyed by Dow Jones.
On a month-over-month basis, the CPI gain was 0.8%, compared to the estimate of 0.7% for the month.
The European Central Bank on Thursday opted to keep interest rates steady, remaining cautious as it assesses the economic fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But it announced that it will wind down asset purchases faster than planned, before adding that it stands ready to revisit this decision if the outlook changes.
Source: CNBC, Investing.com