Source: Sharecast
As of 1530 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.03% at 48,237.89, while the S&P 500 shed 0.35% to 6,845.39 and the Nasdaq Composite came out of the gate 0.02% softer at 22,802.44.
The Dow opened 501.52 points lower on Thursday, more than erasing gains recorded in the previous session.
Stocks slipped early on Thursday as crude prices pushed higher, with West Texas Intermediate up 2.81% to $76.76 per barrel and Brent crude rising 2.30% to $83.27, even after Donald Trump said the US was preparing to provide risk insurance and naval escorts for vessels moving through the Persian Gulf in an effort to keep traffic flowing via the Strait of Hormuz. However, the White House fell short of giving any timeline for when the key chokepoint - which carries around 20% of global oil flows - might be deemed safe for tankers.
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth said the US was "winning decisively" in its conflict with Iran and that more forces were being deployed to the region. Separately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump's newly announced 15% global tariff rate was likely to take effect this week.
Treasuries also rose as the conflict with Iran stretched into its sixth day, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year note up almost four basis points at 4.141%, while its three-year counterpart was more than foud basis points higher at 3.608%.
On the macro front, US employers announced 48,307 job cuts in February, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, considerably lower than the 108,435 recorded in January and well below the 172,017 cuts seen in the same month a year earlier. The tech sector announced 11,039 cuts, the most of any industry, amid ongoing pressures ranging from AI disruption and global regulatory scrutiny to weaker digital advertising, tariff effects and increased labour and funding costs. Education followed with 5,417 cuts, while industrial manufacturing announced 4,109.
Elsewhere, initial jobless claims were unchanged from the previous week at 213,000 in the seven days ended 28 February, according to the Labor Department, slightly below market expectations of 215,000. Continuing jobless claims, on the other hand, rose by 46,000 to 1.86m, ahead of market expectations of 1.85m, while the four-week moving average, which aims to strip out week-to-week volatility, decreased by 4,750 to 215,750. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.2% for the week ending 21 February, unchanged from the previous week's unrevised rate.
On another note, US import prices edged 0.2% higher in January, matching December's increase, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as a rise in non‑fuel import costs more than offset a decline in fuel prices during the month. Export prices also strengthened, climbing 0.6% in January after an identical gain in December.
Finally, US nonfarm business productivity rose 2.8% in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to preliminary figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, easing from the sharp 5.2% jump seen in Q3 but still beating forecasts for a 1.9% gain. Output increased 2.6%, down from 5.4% previously, while hours worked dipped 0.2% after a 0.2% rise in the prior quarter. On an annualised basis, non-farm productivity was up 2.8% in Q4, while for 2025 as a whole, productivity growth averaged 2.2%, moderating from the 3% increase recorded in 2024.
In the corporate space, retailer Kroger posted a steady finish to the year, delivering growth across key metrics in both the fourth quarter and full year, while intimates and beauty retailer Victoria's Secret posted Q4 revenues that came in ahead of expectations, with sales up 7.8% year-on-year at $2.27bn.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com
Dow Jones - Risers
Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $34.07 5.63%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $46.22 5.25%
Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $202.26 4.51%
International Business Machines Corporation (CDI) (IBM) $255.52 1.78%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $410.82 1.64%
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $80.92 1.52%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $187.76 1.05%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $103.23 0.05%
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $0.00 0.00%
Walmart Inc. (WMT) $0.00 0.00%
Dow Jones - Fallers
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $117.06 -2.56%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $239.88 -2.16%
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $155.03 -2.08%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $259.42 -1.84%
3M Co. (MMM) $158.56 -1.55%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $307.07 -1.51%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $327.12 -1.21%
Boeing Co. (BA) $223.70 -1.19%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $722.72 -1.06%
American Express Co. (AXP) $307.52 -1.04%
S&P 500 - Risers
Expedia Group Inc. (EXPE) $246.54 12.44%
Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) $4,584.79 9.28%
LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) $67.01 7.89%
TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $10.83 7.33%
Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) $73.69 6.94%
Intuit Inc. (INTU) $462.87 6.48%
CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF) $110.91 5.95%
Celanese Corp. (CE) $54.15 5.87%
Amphenol Corp. (APH) $139.14 5.42%
Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) $334.71 5.39%
S&P 500 - Fallers
United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) $95.77 -8.07%
American Airlines Group (AAL) $11.91 -7.26%
Alaska Air Group Inc. (ALK) $45.46 -5.05%
McKesson Corp. (MCK) $929.48 -4.27%
DENTSPLY Sirona Inc. (XRAY) $13.44 -3.93%
Tractor Supply Company (TSCO) $49.92 -3.74%
Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) $45.40 -3.71%
Delta Airlines Inc. (DAL) $61.02 -3.68%
Universal Health Services Inc. (UHS) $195.03 -3.60%
Cencora Inc (COR) $354.95 -3.42%
Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Expedia Group Inc. (EXPE) $246.54 12.44%
Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) $4,584.79 9.28%
Intuit Inc. (INTU) $462.87 6.48%
Qvc Group Inc Series A (QVCGA) $3.40 5.59%
Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) $334.71 5.39%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $46.23 5.25%
Synopsys Inc. (SNPS) $444.29 5.03%
Fastenal Co. (FAST) $48.19 4.61%
Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $267.80 4.44%
Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) $284.44 4.19%
Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
American Airlines Group (AAL) $11.91 -7.26%
DENTSPLY Sirona Inc. (XRAY) $13.44 -3.93%
Align Technology Inc. (ALGN) $178.99 -2.90%
Microchip Technology Inc. (MCHP) $70.26 -2.71%
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) $659.90 -2.29%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $77.14 -2.04%
Marriott International - Class A (MAR) $330.45 -1.94%
Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK) $208.45 -1.90%
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $145.01 -1.86%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $259.49 -1.84%