US markets slip over possible action against Syria

28 Aug 2013 Evaluate

The US markets slipped on Tuesday, with the Dow ending at a two-month low, as unease over possible US action against Syria shook global markets. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that US forces in the region are ready should President Barack Obama order action against Syria. This unease over tensions in the Middle East had the Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index or VIX, surging nearly 12%. There were some decent economic reports, but didn’t seem to have much of an impact on market. American consumers grew slightly more optimistic in the waning days of summer as the effects of tax hikes earlier in the year continued to fade. The consumer confidence index rose to 81.5 in August from 80.0 in July and nearly matched a five-year high, the Conference Board stated. Rising confidence is generally a good sign for the economy, but the index remains well below its historical norm. Readings usually top the 100 mark during an expansionary phase.

Separately, US home prices in June posted another month of fast growth, though the data signal some moderation. With gains in cities across the country, US home prices increased 2.2% in June, a strong result but down from 2.5% in May, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller gauge. In six cities prices rose faster in June than they did in May. In May 10 cities had posted faster monthly growth. Annual home-price growth hit 12.1% in June, down from 12.2% in May, when prices hit the fastest year-over-year pace since 2006. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew repeated that the White House would not negotiate over the debt limit, saying he believes members of Congress understand the importance of the nation meeting its obligations.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 170.33 points or 1.14 percent to 14,776.10, the S&P 500 was down 26.30 points or 1.59 percent to 1,630.48, while the Nasdaq edged lower by 79.05 points or 2.16 percent to 3,578.52.

Indian ADRs closed in red on Tuesday; HDFC Bank was down 2.12%, ICICI Bank was down 1.55%, Infosys was down 1.13%, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was down 0.71% and Tata Motors was down 0.59%.

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