U.S business optimism vanishes as economic gloom deepens, consumer confidence takes a hit as Dow has worst day of 2025 so far; are tougher times ahead?

The US stock market fell on Friday due to bad economic news. This caused significant drops in major indexes. This week the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite decreased sharply. Consumer confidence hit its lowest level since November 2023. Business sentiment is increasingly uncertain, affecting market growth. Analysts predict ongoing volatility through the first quarter.