Stock Market Today: Dow Dives 500 Points On U.S.-Iran News As Oil Surges (Live Coverage)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 500 points on March 2026’s opening Monday, marking its sharpest single-day drop in months amid escalating U.S.-Iran tensions. Global oil prices surged over 8% as traders anticipated supply disruptions from potential Middle East conflict, triggering broad market sell-offs across energy-dependent sectors. Nvidia stock fell 4.2%, extending losses from prior sessions as geopolitical uncertainty overshadowed AI-driven tech gains, dragging the Nasdaq lower. Investors fled to safe-haven assets like gold and Treasury bonds, with the VIX volatility index spiking 12% as risk appetite collapsed. Analysts warned prolonged instability could delay Federal Reserve rate cuts, further pressuring equities and exacerbating economic growth concerns.