The U.S. stock market experienced a significant decline on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 index falling 0.8% and erasing nearly all of its weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite both dropped 0.7% and 0.9%, respectively. The decline was fueled by a weaker-than-expected report on U.S. retail sales, which sent Treasury yields lower. Crude oil prices rose more than 4% on concerns about the potential damage to the flow of oil due to the ongoing fighting between Israel and Iran. Looking at specific indices, the S&P 500 closed at 5,982.72, down 50.39 points or 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 299.29 points or 0.7% to close at 42,215.80. The Nasdaq composite closed at 19,521.09, down 180.12 points or 0.9%. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies also fell 22.17 points or 1% to close at 2,101.96. For the week, the S&P 500 is up just 0.1%, while the Dow is up less than 0.1%. The Nasdaq is up 0.6%, while the Russell 2000 is up 0.1%. However, when looking at the year-to-date performance, the S&P 500 is up 1.7%, while the Nasdaq is up 1.1%. The Dow, on the other hand, is down 0.8%, and the Russell 2000 is down 5.7%. The stock market's performance this week and year-to-date has been influenced by a variety of factors, including concerns over the conflict in the Middle East, weaker-than-expected retail sales data, and the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the global economy. As investors continue to monitor these developments, it will be important to keep a close eye on how they impact market sentiment and future stock prices.
