Stocks Plunge as Middle East Tensions Rattle Market: Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 Close Lower

As of June 13, 2025, the US stock market experienced a decline across major indices. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 42,503.72, down by 1.08 percent or 458.28 points. The Nasdaq Composite ended the day at 19,565.88, dropping by 0.49 percent or 96.35 points. The S&P 500 closed at 6,016.63, down by 0.47 percent or 28.63 points from its previous close.The market direction today was significantly influenced by the return of conflict in the Middle East, which led to increased oil prices, jumping more than 8 percent. This geopolitical tension contributed to the overall market downturn.In terms of sector performance, the top-performing sectors included Consumer Discretionary, which rose by 9.08 percent, Industrials up by 8.40 percent, Energy increasing by 4.44 percent, Financials by 4.25 percent, and Information Technology by 2.49 percent. On the other hand, the underperforming sectors were Health Care, which dropped by 6.00 percent, Technology down by 2.85 percent, Consumer Staples by 1.10 percent, and Materials by 0.97 percent.Among the most actively traded stocks, notable gainers on the Dow Jones included Johnson & Johnson, which rose by 0.39 percent to 157.21 dollars per share, Dow Inc up by 0.36 percent to 30.26 dollars per share, Amazon increasing by 0.31 percent to 213.71 dollars per share, Merck & Co up by 0.31 percent to 81.99 dollars per share, and McDonald's rising by 0.28 percent to 303.84 dollars per share.Significant market-moving news included the earnings reports from Adobe Systems, which reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue, and RH, which also beat expectations despite slightly lower revenue.Looking forward, pre-market futures indicated a decline, with Dow Jones and Nasdaq futures down by about 1 percent and S&P 500 futures down by 1.2 percent. Key events to watch for tomorrow include any further developments in the Middle East conflict and its impact on oil prices. Important upcoming earnings releases will continue to shape market sentiment, and potential market catalysts include any new economic data releases and geopolitical updates.This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI