US equity markets closed lower on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 0.97% as investors reacted to a sharp rise in oil prices.
The sell-off was driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East, which have triggered concerns over potential disruptions to global energy supplies.
Brent and WTI crude prices surged in the session, reflecting market anxiety about the widening conflict.
The spike in energy costs weighed heavily on risk sentiment, prompting a broad retreat across major US indices.
This marks a continuation of the volatility seen earlier in the week, when reports of direct military exchanges between the United States and Iran sparked an initial wave of selling.
The market reaction underscores the persistent sensitivity of equity valuations to geopolitical shocks in key energy-producing regions.