Tech Sell-Off Drags Nasdaq Down 1.55%; Dow Jones Slips Modestly

U.S. stocks finished Monday's session in negative territory, led by a significant downturn in the technology sector that weighed heavily on the Nasdaq Composite. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average also closed lower, though the Dow's losses were comparatively modest.

Market Closing Snapshot

The major U.S. indices ended the day with broad declines, reflecting widespread selling pressure, particularly in growth-oriented sectors. Investor uncertainty appeared to rise, as indicated by a sharp spike in the market's primary volatility gauge.

• The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) fell 0.26%.
• The S&P 500 declined by 0.79%.
• The tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite saw the steepest losses, falling 1.55%.
• The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), often called the market's "fear gauge," jumped 14.11% to 17.15.

Sector Divergence and Key Movers

A sell-off in major technology and industrial names was the primary driver of Monday's downturn. Shares of NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) fell 3.52%, while Oracle Corporation (ORCL) dropped 6.36% to a 52-week low. Other notable decliners included Intel Corporation (INTC), which lost 6.15%, and industrial giant Boeing Co (BA), down 3.04%.

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In contrast, the energy sector showed significant strength, buoyed by a surge in crude oil prices. Chevron Corp (CVX) was a top performer on the Dow, gaining 3.29%. Similarly, Valero Energy Corporation (VLO) rose 5.38% to an all-time high. Other pockets of strength included Salesforce Inc (CRM), which advanced 4.80%, and Visa Inc (V), which added 2.52%.

Commodities and Currencies

Commodity markets saw significant volatility. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures for August delivery surged 9.13% to settle at $77.93 a barrel. The September Brent oil contract followed, rising to $83.51 a barrel.

Precious metals moved in the opposite direction, with August Gold Futures falling 2.55% to $4,008.65 a troy ounce. In currency markets, the U.S. Dollar Index Futures, which measures the greenback against a basket of other currencies, rose 0.36% to 101.12.