Dow Jones today moving toward historic loss: Why is Dow down as jobs data, Fed signals rattle US stock market

Market Overview - U.S. stocks experienced significant declines, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 368 points, or 0.76%, to 48,048, marking one of its weakest sessions this month [1] - The S&P 500 decreased by 0.65%, and the Nasdaq lost 0.39% [1] Labor Market Data - The November nonfarm payrolls report indicated an addition of 64,000 jobs, surpassing expectations of approximately 45,000 [3] - However, the unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, up from 4.4%, the highest level since July 2021, contrary to economists' expectations of it remaining around 4.5% [4] Federal Reserve Policy - The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate for the third time this year, citing rising risks in the labor market, but the latest data did not clarify the Fed's stance [5] - Market expectations for a near-term rate cut have diminished, with only a 26% chance of a cut at the January 28 Fed meeting following the jobs report [7] Bond and Currency Markets - The 10-year Treasury yield decreased to 4.15%, down from 4.18% on Monday, reflecting concerns over economic growth [8] - The U.S. dollar index fell by 0.3% to 98.05, nearing its lowest level since early October [9] Commodity Markets - WTI crude oil prices dropped nearly 2.5% to $55.45 per barrel, briefly falling below $55 for the first time since February 2021 [9] - Gold futures remained near $4,335 an ounce, close to record highs, while Bitcoin rebounded to around $87,500 after earlier dipping below $85,300 [10] Sector Performance - Energy stocks were among the worst performers, with the S&P 500 Energy sector declining over 2%, and companies like APA, Diamondback Energy, Phillips 66, and Halliburton down between 3.5% and 4% [11] - Technology shares remained volatile amid ongoing concerns regarding the AI bubble, with Broadcom and Oracle experiencing significant declines earlier in the week but showing slight intraday recoveries [10] Corporate News - Tesla shares rose approximately 1% after CEO Elon Musk confirmed testing of driverless cars in Austin, Texas, reaching its highest closing level of 2025 [12] - Ford Motor shares remained stable as the company anticipates about $19.5 billion in EV-related charges and plans to focus more on gas and hybrid vehicles [12] - Among active stocks, AMC Robotics surged over 80%, while Nvidia traded modestly higher on heavy volume [13]