New York Stocks Close Lower on Trump Ground Troop Concerns... Nasdaq Down 2%

S&P 500 Falls 1.51%, Dow Down 0.96%
Brent Crude Closes at $112.19 per Barrel

The three major stock indexes on the New York Stock Exchange all closed lower. Investor sentiment was significantly dampened amid reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering deploying ground troops to Iran.

On March 20 (local time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 45,577.47, down 443.96 points (0.96%) from the previous session.

Yonhap News Agency

The Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index finished at 6,506.48, down 100.01 points (1.51%), and the Nasdaq Composite Index ended at 21,647.61, down 443.08 points (2.01%). The Russell 2000 Index, which focuses on small- and mid-cap stocks, also fell by 56.26 points (2.26%) to close at 2,438.45. The Russell 2000 Index has dropped 7% so far this month.

Investor sentiment was further undermined by reports that Iran had once again attacked Kuwait's energy infrastructure. Additional news that President Trump is actively considering both a blockade of Kharg Island, Iran's key oil export hub, and the deployment of ground troops, as well as the U.S. military's decision to send thousands more Marines and Navy personnel to the Middle East, triggered a sell-off.

Brent crude, the international oil price benchmark, closed at $112.19 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures for April delivery rose 2.3% from the previous session to $98.32 per barrel. The market is leaving open the possibility of further increases in international oil prices due to the ongoing uncertainty of war.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.