Dow closes down 450 points as Iran war sends oil prices surging

ABC News Radio5 hours ago

43 1 minute read

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 450 points on Friday as the Iran war continued to spike oil prices.

The Dow fell 453 points, or 0.9%, while the S&P 500 dropped 1.3%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 1.5%.

In a post on social media on Friday morning, President Donald Trump appeared to rule out a compromise with Iran.

Trump said there would be “no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

Oil prices soared as traders feared a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a trading route that facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of the global oil supply.

U.S. crude oil prices topped $90 on Friday, marking a staggering 35% increase from a week earlier.

The stock selloff on Friday extended losses from a day earlier, when the Dow closed down 785 points.

Alongside fallout from the Middle East conflict, a jobs report on Friday showed the U.S. economy unexpectedly lost jobs in February, marking a reversal of fortunes for the labor market.

The unemployment rate ticked up from 4.3% in January to 4.4% in February, the BLS said. Unemployment remains low by historical standards.

The Iran war threatens to slow U.S. economic growth since oil-driven price increases could weigh on consumers and businesses, analysts previously told ABC News.

The potential combination of higher inflation and slower growth could also pose a challenge for the Fed, putting pressure on both sides of its dual mandate to manage prices and maintain maximum employment.

The central bank held interest rates steady at its most recent meeting in January, ending a string of three consecutive quarter-point rate cuts.