
📰 Introduction: US Stocks Enter Bear Market Territory as Tariff Tensions Roil Wall Street
US stocks enter bear market territory as a deepening global selloff, sparked by President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policy, rattles Wall Street investors and threatens to derail U.S. economic growth. Markets opened Monday with sharp losses after brutal sessions in Asia and Europe—signaling deepening fear over the state of the global economy.
📊 US Stocks Enter Bear Market Territory After Global Rout
Dow Plunges 1,200 Points, S&P 500 Hits Bear Threshold
The Dow Jones Industrial Average opened down 1,200 points, or 3.2%, while the S&P 500 slid 3.4%, officially dipping into bear market territory—defined as a 20% drop from its recent peak. The Nasdaq Composite followed suit, dropping 3.96% amid mounting investor panic.
The S&P 500 hit a record high less than seven weeks ago on February 19. If it ends the day in bear market territory, this will mark the second-fastest collapse from peak to bear in modern history—second only to the COVID-19 crash in 2020.
🧨 Wall Street Fear Surges as US Stocks Enter Bear Market Territory
VIX Spikes, Fear & Greed Index Hits 2025 Lows
Wall Street’s notorious “fear gauge,” the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), has soared to levels unseen since the pandemic’s early days. The CNN Fear and Greed Index, another major market sentiment tracker, plunged to its lowest point in 2025, signaling widespread investor anxiety.
The sharp moves came in reaction to Trump’s expanding tariffs, which analysts fear could stifle economic growth, hurt corporate profits, and send the economy spiraling toward recession.
🌎 Tariff Woes Drive Global Selloff as US Stocks Enter Bear Market Territory
Asia and Europe Lead the Way Down
Before the opening bell even rang on Wall Street, global markets were already bleeding. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng plunged 13.2% its worst day since 1997—while major European indices dropped around 5%. As investors flee risk, US markets have now joined the international rout, and US stocks entering bear market territory have intensified global financial fears.
🔚 Conclusion: US Stocks Enter Bear Market Territory, Investors Brace for Impact
The bear market label is more than a technical milestone—it’s a signal of investor sentiment collapsing under the weight of trade tensions and policy unpredictability. As US stocks enter bear market territory, the pressure is now on policymakers, businesses, and investors to brace for continued volatility.