The Digester

Dow drops 400 points as S&P 500 and Nasdaq fall about 1% on Middle East conflict

Mar 4th 2026

U.S. stocks closed sharply lower March 3, 2026, with the Dow down about 400 points and major indexes slipping near 1% as the war in the Middle East and a spike in oil pushed yields higher and rattled investors.

  • Dow ended the session roughly 400 points lower
  • S&P 500 and Nasdaq each declined about 1%
  • U.S. Treasury yields rose as oil prices surged on supply concerns
  • Market moves were driven by investor reaction to the war in the Middle East and energy risk