The DJIA, SPX, and COMP are back in correction territory after a brutal start to September
The bulls didn't stand a chance today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was signaling a massive plunge out of the gate -- prompting the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to invoke Rule 48 for the fourth time in two weeks -- and the selling pressure barely let up throughout the session. The primary catalyst once again came from China, as traders panned disappointing manufacturing data. Adding salt to the collective wounds were reports of the weakest U.S. manufacturing growth in two years, as well as a severe flip-flop lower for oil. Against this backdrop, "death cross," "dead cat bounce," and "correction" muscled their way back into the Wall Street lexicon, with the major market indexes taking it on the chin.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
The
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA - 16,058.35) was down nearly 550 points at its session low -- briefly breaching the round-number 16,000 level -- and settled on a loss of almost 470 points, or 2.8%, putting it in correction territory, and marking its third worst drop of 2015. Not one of the Dow's 30 blue chips eked out a win, with
Apple suffering the steepest drop, down 4.5%.
Also in correction territory: the
S&P 500 Index (SPX - 1,913.85) and
Nasdaq Composite (COMP - 4,636.10). The SPX gave up 58.3 points, or 3%, while the COMP dropped 140.4 points, or 2.9%.
As fear spiked, the
CBOE Volatility Index (VIX - 31.40) hopped back above 30, edging 3 points, or 10.5%, higher.
5 Items on Our Radar Today:
- The Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) manufacturing index fell to 51.1 in August from 52.7 in July, disappointing economists and marking the softest reading in more than two years. U.S. construction spending, on the other hand, rose 0.7% in July -- in line with expectations -- to the highest point since before the Great Recession. (MarketWatch)
- Inflation remains a wild card for the Fed, according to Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren. However, the non-voting Fed member said the central bank's jobs target for a rate hike "has largely been met." (CNBC)
- One upbeat data point today: auto sales, which are on pace for their best year since 2001.
- Will we see Apple at the next Emmys?
- Negative analyst notes exacerbated selling on this trio of commodities names.
Commodities:
Oil halted an impressive three-day, 27% run higher -- the best such stretch in 25 years -- as disappointing manufacturing data around the globe dampened expectations for demand. By the bell, oil for October delivery gave up $3.79, or 7.7%, to end at $45.41 per barrel.
The broad-market bloodbath was a boon for gold, which is often seen as a "safe haven" investment. A softer greenback also helped the dollar-denominated commodity. By the close, December-dated gold surged $7.30, or 0.6%, to $1,139.80 an ounce.