Major US Stock Indices End Lower

New York's benchmark three indices, the Dow, S&P500, and Nasdaq, all closed lower on March 19 (local time), reflecting a subdued overall investment market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.44% to 46021.43, the S&P500 index dropped 0.27% to 6606.49, and the Nasdaq Composite index declined 0.28% to 22090.69.

While the three major indices of the New York stock market closed lower, semiconductor equipment and energy stocks showed upward trends. Major tech and energy stocks, including Lam Research and Exxon Mobil, finished trading higher, while Micron Technology fell 3.78% despite its earnings announcement yesterday.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed at $96.14 a barrel, down approximately 0.2% from the previous day. Brent crude, after hitting $119 per barrel during trading, finished at $108.65, up about 1.2% from the previous day.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of an early end to the war, suggesting it could conclude sooner than expected. US President Donald Trump stated his position that ground troops would not be deployed to Iran.

Yields on US 2-year Treasury notes rose to around 3.80%. The dollar index, which measures the dollar's value against a basket of six major currencies, weakened, falling to the 99-point level.