Wall Street Sell-Off Worsens Over Tariff Uncertainty

Wall Street’s sell-off worsened as concerns over the economy and President Donald Trump’s tariffs sent U.S. stocks tumbling further from their record highs set just last month, Associated Press (AP) reporters Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott wrote.

Stocks remain on track for another volatile session, following a series of unsettling developments that have heightened fears Trump’s inconsistent tariff policies could harm the economy. I Photo: New York Stock Exchange Facebook

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The S&P 500 dropped 1.5% in early trading Monday, coming off its worst week since September. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 415 points, or 1%, while the Nasdaq Composite slid 2.2%.

Stocks remain on track for another volatile session, following a series of unsettling developments that have heightened fears Trump’s inconsistent tariff policies could harm the economy—either directly or by creating enough uncertainty to paralyze businesses and consumers.

Market volatility surged on Monday, with most major U.S. indices posting significant losses after Trump dismissed concerns that his tariff measures could trigger a recession. Futures for the S&P 500 declined 1.4%, while Dow Jones futures fell 1.1%, and Nasdaq futures dropped 1.6%.

The White House’s back-and-forth approach to tariffs—imposing them on trading partners, then granting exemptions, only to reimpose them later—has left businesses uncertain about long-term costs.

This uncertainty has raised fears that companies may halt hiring and investment in response to what they describe as “chaotic” policy decisions.

Meanwhile, U.S. households are bracing for higher inflation due to tariffs, which is weakening consumer confidence and could lead to reduced spending—further sapping energy from the economy.