U.S. stocks moved lower Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling about 400 points as investors reacted to Iran war news and a rise in oil prices. The pullback also hit the Nasdaq, pointing to a broader retreat from risk assets during the session.
Higher energy prices appeared to be a major factor behind the sell-off. When oil climbs sharply, markets often worry about the potential impact on inflation, consumer spending and corporate costs, and that concern seemed to weigh on sentiment.
Netflix was also under pressure after soft guidance, adding to the weakness in growth and technology shares. The drop in Netflix stock helped drag on the Nasdaq, which is typically more sensitive to moves in major tech names.
Overall, Friday's trading reflected a defensive tone across Wall Street, with geopolitical headlines and earnings-related concerns combining to pressure stocks. The move left investors watching both oil markets and large-cap tech shares for the next signal on market direction.
