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Stock market news: Why Nasdaq, S&P 500, Dow Jones are down today. Expert gives ‘reality’ check

Wall Street tumbled Friday as rising oil prices, surging bond yields and renewed inflation fears triggered a broad selloff across global markets

Published on: May 15, 2026 9:18 PM IST
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Wall Street tumbled Friday as rising oil prices, surging bond yields and renewed inflation fears triggered a broad selloff across global markets, with technology stocks leading the decline after months of AI-driven gains. The S&P 500 fell roughly 1% after hitting a record high a day earlier, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped more than 1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also slid sharply, losing more than 400 points in morning trading.

Futures-options traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange's NYSE American (AMEX) in New York City (REUTERS)
Futures-options traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange's NYSE American (AMEX) in New York City (REUTERS)

AI stocks reverse sharply after huge rally

Technology shares suffered some of the heaviest losses Friday. NVIDIA dropped more than 4%, making it one of the biggest drags on the S&P 500 despite still being up more than 26% this year.

Applied Materials also fell even after posting stronger-than-expected quarterly profit growth fueled by global AI infrastructure demand.

Analysts said the pullback may reflect growing concerns that AI-related stocks had become overheated after months of massive gains.

“To us, it looks like markets have pushed into overbought territory,” Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management, told AP.

He added: “The path is unlikely to be smooth. Periods like this call for discipline more than hope.”

Jonathan Krinsky, chief market technician at BTIG, also warned investors about rising volatility in tech-heavy markets.

“If nothing else this should be a ‘shot across the bow’ for how volatility works both ways,” Krinsky told the publication.

Oil surge and Iran war factor

The latest market turmoil comes as the ongoing conflict involving Iran continues disrupting global energy markets. Concerns have intensified over the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global oil supplies, pushing crude prices sharply higher.

Brent crude climbed above $109 a barrel Friday, up dramatically from roughly $70 before the conflict escalated. US crude also surged above $104 per barrel.

“Markets are adjusting to that reality,” Florian Ielpo at Lombard Odier Asset Management, told AP.

Big market movements in simple points

Stocks

The S&P 500 fell 0.8% as of 10:40 AM New York time

The Nasdaq 100 fell 1.2%

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.7%

The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 1.4%

The MSCI World Index fell 1%

Currencies

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rose 0.4%

The euro fell 0.3% to $1.1629

The British pound fell 0.4% to $1.3347

The Japanese yen fell 0.2% to 158.69 per dollar

Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin fell 2.8% to $79,136.29

Ether fell 3.6% to $2,214.12

Bonds

The yield on 10-year Treasuries advanced nine basis points to 4.57%

Germany’s 10-year yield advanced 10 basis points to 3.14%

Britain’s 10-year yield advanced 16 basis points to 5.15%

The yield on 2-year Treasuries advanced five basis points to 4.07%

The yield on 30-year Treasuries advanced eight basis points to 5.11%

Commodities

West Texas Intermediate crude rose 3.1% to $104.30 a barrel

Spot gold fell 2.1% to $4,555.47 an ounce

  • Yash Nitish Bajaj
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yash Nitish Bajaj

    Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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