Stock Market Today: Dow ends 250 points lower, bond yields jump on Mideast tensions Stocks reversed their earlier gains and ended the day i...

 Stock Market Today: Dow ends 250 points lower, bond yields jump on Mideast tensions

Stocks reversed their earlier gains and ended the day in negative territory as bond yields continued to rise on Monday.

March's retail sales surpassed expectations, causing Treasury yields to climb. This data indicates that interest rates might remain stable for a longer period than some traders expected.

The 10-year Treasury yield surged to 4.661%, marking its highest point since Nov. 6, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

Oil prices declined following Iran's drone and missile strikes on Israel during the weekend.

U.S. stocks closed lower on Monday, with the Dow cementing a sixth straight session in a row of declines, as investors worried about possible next steps in the Mideast conflict.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 248.13 points, or 0.7%, ending at 37,735.11.
• The S&P 500 index dropped 61.59 points, or 1.2%, closing at 5,061.82.
• The Nasdaq Composite finished 290.08 points lower, or 1.8%, at 15,885.02.
• The Dow's six-session skid is its longest since June 26, 2023, according to Dow Jones Market Data.
• Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed below their 50-day moving averages.

On Monday, concerns about Middle East tensions and increasing bond yields caused the S&P 500 to drop below its 50-day moving average.

The S&P 500 index fell by 1.3% to 5,055.38, dipping below its 50-day moving average of 5,114.25. This marked the first time since Nov. 2, according to Dow Jones Market Data, that the S&P 500 closed below its 50-day moving average.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) jumped by over 10% to reach 19.14. This index, which gauges implied volatility, has not closed above 18 for 112 consecutive trading days, as per Dow Jones Market Data. If this trend breaks today, it would mark the longest streak of consecutive days below 18 since 2018.