Markets cratered around the world Monday. Japan’s Nikkei fell more than ever — down 12.4% while “benchmark indexes in South Korea and Taiwan were both down more than 8%,” noted the Wall Street Journal. The S&P 500 opened down “about 4% Monday, with the Nasdaq falling a larger 6%,” the Journal reported.

Unless you are feeling adventurous — in which case now could be a good time to buy companies on your shopping list at a lower price — just hold on.

A global market meltdown continued Monday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 1,000 points before recovering slightly on fears the U.S. economy was weakening and a series of other concerns combined to throw investors worldwide into a panic.

What Happened?

It's OK to calm down about the economy. Yes, Friday's unemployment news was bad. Yes, the NASDAQ and Dow Jones neared correction territory on Friday morning. And yes, the Sahm Rule Recession Indicator has now been triggered. Odds are, though, a recession is not imminent. 

Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average had its worst day since 1987, falling 12.4% in a frenzy of selling triggered by disappointing economic data in the U.S. and a surge in the Japanese yen. 

Other Asian markets also fell, with benchmark indexes in South Korea and Taiwan both down more than 8%. S&P 500 futures fell by more than 2% in Asia as U.S. markets prepared to open the week. 

A stock-market selloff intensified Wednesday, wiping out hundreds of billions of dollars in value from the Magnificent Seven group of tech giants and pushing the Nasdaq Composite to its first decline of 3% or more in 400 trading days. 

US stock markets plunged on Wednesday, recording their worst losses since 2022, after investors sold off shares in struggling tech companies.

The Nasdaq index fell by 3.6%, the S&P 500 dropped 2.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial average slid 1.2%.

“Signs of nervousness around tech stocks began to creep up in recent weeks,” reported Reuters, pointing to Wall Street’s “vulnerability to any weakness in the Big Tech trade...

Futures tied to the technology-heavy Nasdaq-100 climbed Wednesday after Netflix reported its subscriber count reached a new record in the fourth quarter. 

Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.6%, while S&P 500 futures gained 0.4%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advanced 87 points, or 0.2%.

The Nasdaq Composite dropped deeper into correction territory on Thursday as Meta became the latest tech company to offer a forecast that didn’t quite live up to investors’ expectations.

The tech-heavy index lost 1.6%, dropping below its 200-day moving average for the first time since March. The S&P 500 dipped 1% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 195 points, or 0.5%. With Thursday’s loss, the S&P 500 is now off by more than 10% from its July intraday high.