Still, indexes finished well off their lows of the day, with the S&P 500 ending down 0.9% after falling more than 2% early in the session. Investors are concerned about the effect of the conflict, now in its fourth day, on inflation as oil prices extended sharp gains. In a potentially bearish signal, the S&P 500 closed below its 100-day moving average for the first time since November 20. Investors worry that the higher oil prices could fuel inflation and complicate central bank policy decisions already strained by tariff-driven price increases. On the Nasdaq, 1,262 stocks rose and 3,540 fell as declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 2.81-to-1 ratio.

Source: The Star March 04, 2026 01:04 UTC