why was the dow down today

The Dow was down today mainly due to renewed trade tensions between the US and China, sparked by President Trump's announcement of plans for a "massive increase" in tariffs on Chinese imports. This move reignited fears of a prolonged trade war, which typically raises costs for companies and slows down global trade, negatively impacting corporate profits. Additionally, weak corporate earnings and rising bond yields further pressured the market, as investors feared overvalued stocks, especially in technology and AI sectors. These combined factors created uncertainty and caution among investors, leading to the Dow falling by about 879 points or 1.9%, its worst performance since May 2025. This drop also occurred amid heightened market volatility typical for October, a month historically known for strong market swings triggered by such geopolitical and economic risks.