The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) closed down -0.48% on Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed down -0.77%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed down -0.29%. E-mini S&P futures (ESU26) fell -0.46%, and September E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQU26) fell -0.30%.
Stock indexes retreated on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling to a 5-week low. The broader market was under pressure for a second day amid mounting inflation risks. WTI crude oil prices surged more than +3% today to a 3.25-month high amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East, heightening concerns about energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The surge in energy prices is boosting inflation expectations and pushing bond yields higher. The 10-year T-note yield rose to 4.85% on Wednesday, the highest in 2.75 years. The higher bond yields weighed on stocks.
