Stock Market Today, March 27: Crude Surges Above $110, Driving Broad Sell-Off

By Emma Newbery – Mar 27, 2026 at 5:11PM ESTThe S&P 500 (^GSPC 1.67%) fell 1.67% to 6,375.85, marking its fifth weekly drop.

The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 2.15%) sunk 2.15% to 20,948.36, putting it in correction territory after falling more than 10% from its October high.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI 1.73%) lost 1.73% to 45,166.64 as high oil prices and tech jitters drove a wide sell-off. Market moversEnergy names outperformed as Brent crude jumped above $110 and boosted producers such as Suncor Energy (SU +2.58%). Exxon Mobil (XOM +3.47%) and Chevron Corporation (CVX +1.70%) both posted gains.Mega-caps, including chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA 2.13%), struggled. Growing risk-off sentiment, artificial intelligence (AI) spending concerns, and lawsuit pressures all weighed on the Nasdaq. Meta Platforms (META 3.98%)and Alphabet (GOOG 2.49%) dropped further following yesterday’s court ruling on social media addiction. Amazon (AMZN 3.89%) and Microsoft (MSFT 2.51%) slipped on AI expenditure questions.Heightened geopolitical tensions impacted airline and cruise stocks.

Delta Air Lines (DAL 3.07%) and United Airlines (UAL 4.52%) slid. Carnival (CCL 4.31%) fell after it cut its 2026 outlook. What this means for investorsThe Iran war and spike in oil prices continue to present significant headwinds for markets. Brent crude climbed 7% today to finish at $113 a barrel. The longer oil prices remain elevated, the more serious the potential long-term damage, particularly in terms of inflation. The CBOE Volatility Index gained 13% to close at 31.05 today, its highest since last April’s tariff disruptions. Investors looking to navigate these headline-driven markets might look for dividend plays and defensive sectors whilst remaining focused on long-term investment objectives.Read NextMar 27, 2026 •By Geoffrey SeilerWatch for This Buy Signal Before Jumping Into Stocks. It's Right 9 Out of 10 Times.Mar 27, 2026 •By David DierkingMarket Crash Fears Are Real, but Individual Investors Are Still BuyingMar 26, 2026 •By Jeremy BowmanRecession Risks Are Rising According To Wall Street. Here's What It Means for Investors.Mar 26, 2026 •By Emma NewberyStock Market Today, March 26: Nasdaq Falls 2.4% After Meta and Micron Drop Sharply Mar 26, 2026 •By James Brumley3 Important Reminders for Investors When the Stock Market Hits "Extreme Fear"Mar 26, 2026 •By Johnny RiceBillionaire Ray Dalio Warned of a Coming Capital War.

The Iran War Just Made It Real.About the AuthorEmma Newberry is a contributing Motley Fool cryptocurrency analyst covering digital currencies and blockchain trends. She previously wrote for Motley Fool Money (formerly The Ascent) on personal finance, investing, retirement readiness, and crypto. Earlier in her career, Emma founded an English-language newspaper in Colombia and contributed to Olympic city bid campaigns. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature with creative writing from the University of East Anglia in the UK.TMFemmanewberyStocks MentionedS&P 500 IndexSNPINDEX: ^GSPC$6,368.85(-1.67%)-$108.31NASDAQ Composite IndexNASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC$20,948.36(-2.15%)-$459.72Dow Jones Industrial AverageDJINDICES: ^DJI$45,166.64(-1.73%)-$793.47AmazonNASDAQ: AMZN$199.34(-3.95%)-$8.20Meta PlatformsNASDAQ: META$526.14(-3.91%)-$21.40NvidiaNASDAQ: NVDA$167.59(-2.13%)-$3.66*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.