US equity indices closed lower on Wednesday as rising bond yields pressured corporate margins and dampened consumer demand. The S&P 500 declined 0.5%, the Nasdaq slipped 0.3%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 405 points.
Oil prices extended their gains after US-Iran strikes intensified, further reducing the chances of a near-term resumption of Middle Eastern crude exports and stoking inflation concerns ahead of next week’s Federal Reserve meeting. At the same time, the risk that higher borrowing costs will weigh on equities increased, with debt costs rising for AI hyperscalers financing data-center expansion.
The US Treasury tripled the initial size of its upcoming buyback of longer-dated debt, but the move fell short of market expectations, disappointing investors who had anticipated a more aggressive increase.
In corporate news, Alphabet lost 2.3% after unveiling a $15.1 billion investment in Finland, while Amazon fell 1.8% following another sterling-denominated bond sale. Meta rallied 6.5% on optimism around a newly announced AI agent. Apple edged 0.3% lower despite introducing a foldable iPhone.
Gains in semiconductor stocks helped cushion the Nasdaq’s decline: Micron rose 2.7%, and AMD advanced 3%.
