Washington DC [US], February 24 (ANI): US stock markets declined sharply as tariff-related uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran made investors cautious, leading to increased selling pressure across major indices.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Monday fell by 821 points to close at 48,804, marking a decline of 1.66 per cent. The broader S&P 500 index also slipped by 1.04 per cent or 71.76 points to settle at 6,837 points. Meanwhile, the technology-heavy Nasdaq index declined by 1.21 per cent or 277.13 points to close at 22,608.

Investor sentiment remained weak amid uncertainty surrounding global trade and geopolitical developments. The weakness stems from renewed tariff-related concerns following President Donald Trump's rollout of a 10-15 per cent global tariff framework, which has raised fears about its potential impact on global economic growth and corporate earnings.

The cautious sentiment was also visible in European markets, where major indices ended in negative territory. Germany's DAX index closed with a decline of more than 1 per cent or 268 points to settle at 24,991.97. Similarly, France's CAC index fell by 0.22 per cent or 18.32 points to close at 8,497.17.

Market experts noted that tariff-related developments and uncertainty around global trade policies continue to weigh on investor confidence.

In addition, lingering concerns over AI-led disruptions affecting global technology stocks have also contributed to the selling pressure in equity markets.

Ajay Bagga, Banking and Market Expert, told ANI that geopolitical tensions remain elevated due to the Iran situation, which has further added to market volatility and uncertainty.

He said 'Iran attack is a certainty in the next two three weeks' time. If Iran agrees to the triple demands, it becomes weakened and will be attacked by Israel in a few months. If it does not agree to, it fights now and causes massive damage to Israel and US bases, forcing a truce. Both are bad options. Maybe post Ramadan end, but could happen sooner'.

So a combination of tariff uncertainty, geopolitical risks, and concerns over global technology sector disruptions has kept investors cautious, resulting in sharp declines across US and European equity markets. (ANI)