Stocks continued their downward slide on Thursday, with major indexes falling into correction territory. Investors are worried about the economic toll of a widening coronavirus epidemic.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled more than 500 points in the opening minutes of trading. The blue chip index is down more than 10% from its recent peak on Feb. 12. The broader S&P 500 index has also lost more than 10% of its value in just over a week.
President Trump tried to project a note of calm in a news conference Wednesday evening, stressing that the United States is well prepared for any health crisis and predicting the stock market will recover, thanks in part to robust consumer spending. But investors were not immediately reassured.
A poll by Morning Consult this week found that 69% of U.S. adults are either "very" or "somewhat" concerned about the domestic economic impact of the epidemic, a 14 point increase from a few weeks ago.
Health officials also reported the first known case of coronavirus in the U.S. with no apparent link to China or other sources, suggesting that the virus may be spreading domestically.
The steep drop in financial markets could put a dent in consumer confidence and spending — a major driver of the U.S. economy. It may also increase pressure on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. On Tuesday, the central bank's vice chairman, Richard Clarida, said the Fed is monitoring the outbreak closely but he cautioned it's too soon to assess the economic effects.
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2020-02-27 15:02:00Z
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