US markets end lower after WHO coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic

12 Mar 2020 Evaluate

The US markets ended lower on Wednesday as traders cashed in on yesterday's gains amid lingering concerns about the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Total confirmed coronavirus cases have climbed to nearly 122,000 worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, while the total number of deaths is closing in on 4,400. Johns Hopkins also said the number of confirmed cases in the US has jumped to more than 1,100 from just over 100 a week ago. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that up to 70 percent of the German population could become infected with the coronavirus.  Stocks saw further downside after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic, citing the disease's rapid spread outside of China.

On the economic data, a report released by the Labor Department showed a modest increase in US consumer prices in the month of February. The Labor Department said its consumer price index inched up by 0.1 percent in February, matching the uptick seen in January. Street had expected prices to come in unchanged. Consumer prices edged higher as higher prices for food and shelter more than offset a steep drop in energy prices. The report said food prices climbed by 0.4 percent in February after edging up by 0.2 percent in January, with prices for food at home showing the largest monthly increase since May of 2014. The shelter index also rose by 0.3 percent in February following a 0.4 percent increase in the previous month. Meanwhile, energy prices plunged by 2.0 percent in February after falling by 0.7 percent in January, as all of the major energy component indexes declined.

Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,464.94 points or 5.86 percent to 23,553.22, Nasdaq fell 392.2 points or 4.7 percent to 7,952.05 and S&P 500 was down by 140.85 points or 4.89 percent to 2,741.38.


© 2026 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×