U.S. stocks fell, extending their April losses, as investors digested earnings reports from leading companies and weighed concerns about inflation.
Stocks slid for much of Tuesday, dropping further late in the session. The $S&P 500 index(.SPX.US)$closed down 2.8%, or 120.92 points, to 4175.20, a day after tech stocks led major indexes higher. The $Dow Jones Industrial Average(.DJI.US)$declined 2.4%, or 809.28 points, to 33240.18, while the $Nasdaq Composite Index(.IXIC.US)$lost 4%, or 514.11 points, finishing at 12490.74.
All three indexes are on track to lose at least 4% this month, with the technology-heavy Nasdaq -- which on Tuesday posted its largest one-day percentage decline since September 2020 -- down more than 12% in April. The small-cap Russell 2000 finished the day at its lowest close since December 2020.
Inflation is weighing on companies and consumers, while the Federal Reserve's indications that it will quickly tighten monetary policy threaten to drag on growth.
Assets considered havens in times of trouble, such as Treasury bonds, are being pressured by inflation and expectations for tighter central-bank policy along with stocks, complicating matters for investors seeking shelter during recent volatility. Gold, another haven, rose 0.4% on Tuesday, but prices remain near their lowest level since February.
The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note closed at 2.773%, down from Monday's 2.825%. The yield on the benchmark note remains close to its highest level since 2018 as investors have sold bonds in anticipation of higher interest rates. Bond yields rise as prices fall.
Meanwhile, a measure of the yield on 10-year Treasurys when adjusted for inflation -- sometimes known as the real yield -- has risen toward positive territory, closing Monday at minus 0.10%, which may make riskier assets less attractive to investors.
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