Wall St ends sharply lower as intensifying Iran war, soaring crude prompt selloff

Wall St ends sharply lower as intensifying Iran war, soaring crude prompt selloff

By Stephen Culp and Johann M Cherian

Thu March 12, 2026  

Today was the worst yet. No bouncing back and forth, just straight down. With the strikes on the two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, hopes of a quick end to the war were also struck down. There were no positives in the tug-of-war, just the war making everyone flee equities for safer havens and all the indexes dropping dramatically right at the outset and staying there all day.  

As today’s expert put it, “There’s a realization that a resolution to the Middle East conflict is being pushed further out. It’s sell first, ask questions later with no safe sector outside of energy.” Friday is bringing a raft of new reports that may or may not bring some relief. Expectations of any rate cuts this year are now quickly dissipating. At 19.96 billion, volume was right in line with the 4-week average of 20.05 billion. 

DJ: 47,417.27  -289.24        NAS: 22,716.14  +19.03         S&P: 6,775.80  -5.68             3/11

DJ: 46,677.85  -739.42        NAS: 22,311.98  -404.15        S&P: 6,672.62  -103.18         3/12

Thu 3-12-26 7 pm Wall St ends sharply lower as intensifying Iran war, soaring crude prompt selloff | Reuters