{"id":24092,"date":"2026-04-03T11:45:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T11:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessprofittoday.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/03\/dow-jones-tumbles-600-points-as-trump-signals-iran-escalation\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T11:45:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T11:45:17","slug":"dow-jones-tumbles-600-points-as-trump-signals-iran-escalation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessprofittoday.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/03\/dow-jones-tumbles-600-points-as-trump-signals-iran-escalation\/","title":{"rendered":"Dow Jones tumbles 600 points as Trump signals Iran escalation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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US stocks opened lower on Thursday, the final session of a holiday-shortened week, after President Donald Trump signaled an escalation in the Iran conflict, dampening hopes for a near-term resolution and pushing oil prices higher.<\/p>\n

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell about 637 points, or 1.3%, while the S&P 500 declined 1.3% and the Nasdaq 100 dropped 1.74%. <\/p>\n

Escalation fears weigh on sentiment<\/h2>\n

In a closely watched address on Wednesday, Trump indicated that military operations against Iran would intensify in the coming weeks, reversing earlier expectations of a swift withdrawal.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the next two to three weeks, we\u2019re going to bring them back to the stone ages where they belong,\u201d the president said.<\/p>\n

The remarks came shortly after Trump had suggested the US could be \u201cout of Iran pretty quickly,\u201d creating uncertainty around the trajectory of the conflict. <\/p>\n

Markets, which had recently rallied on hopes of de-escalation, reacted negatively to the shifting tone.<\/p>\n

Wall Street\u2019s volatility gauge, the CBOE VIX index, rose to 27.54 points after dipping to a one-week low in the previous session, reflecting rising investor anxiety.<\/p>\n

Oil surge and Fed outlook<\/h2>\n

Oil prices surged in response to the heightened geopolitical tensions. Brent crude climbed about 7% to above $108 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude jumped 12% to above $112 per barrel.<\/p>\n

The sharp move in energy markets lifted oil-linked stocks, with Exxon Mobil and Chevron gaining roughly 2.5% and 3% respectively. <\/p>\n

Rising energy prices have also shifted expectations for monetary policy. <\/p>\n

According to CME Group\u2019s FedWatch Tool, traders are no longer pricing in any rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, compared with expectations for two cuts before the conflict began.<\/p>\n

Stocks, data and sector moves<\/h2>\n

The Middle East conflict had already rattled markets in March, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posting their largest monthly losses in a year, while Brent crude recorded its strongest monthly performance on record.<\/p>\n

Despite the broader risk-off sentiment, some sectors and stocks saw notable movement. <\/p>\n

Shares of Globalstar jumped 9% at market open after reports that Amazon is in talks to acquire<\/a> the low-Earth orbit satellite company.<\/p>\n

Investor attention also turned to SpaceX, which confidentially filed for a US initial public offering, reportedly targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation. <\/p>\n

The development boosted smaller space-related companies such as Rocket Lab, Planet Labs, and Intuitive Machines in the previous session.<\/p>\n

On the macro front, data showed that initial jobless claims fell to 202,000<\/a> for the week ended March 28, below economists\u2019 expectations of 212,000. <\/p>\n

Investors are now looking ahead to the nonfarm payrolls report due Friday, though US markets will be closed for the Good Friday holiday.<\/p>\n

Traders are also awaiting remarks from Dallas Federal Reserve President Lorie Logan later in the day for further clues on the policy outlook.<\/p>\n

With geopolitical uncertainty intensifying and oil prices surging, markets appear set for renewed volatility as investors reassess risk and growth expectations.<\/p>\n

The post Dow Jones tumbles 600 points as Trump signals Iran escalation<\/a> appeared first on Invezz<\/a><\/p>\n

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