The tech-heavy Nasdaq plummeted by about 5% on Thursday, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 1,120 points, or 3.12%, with both indices suffering their biggest declines since early in the COVID-19 pandemic. The S&P 500 was down more than 3.5%.
Both the S&P 500 and the Dow had their best days since 2020 on Wednesday, making Thursday’s plunge even more dramatic. The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index, better known as the VIX, is intended to gauge fear in the markets. The index was up more than 22.74% on Thursday, an enormous jump that illustrates the anxiety investors have about the future.