Wall Street Opens Lower Amid Market Sell-Off

Wall Street's main stock indexes opened significantly lower on Monday, experiencing their lowest levels in over a week, primarily due to low trading volumes and rising Treasury yields, which have dampened the typically strong year-end rally for equities. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 651.52 points (1.52%), the S&P 500 declined by 89.52 points (1.51%), and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 326.47 points (1.66%). Growth stocks, including Tesla and Meta, also suffered, with declines of 3.1% and 2.2%, respectively. Analysts note that elevated Treasury yields, currently near their highest since May 2024, are prompting investors to favor the safety of U.S. Treasuries over stocks, which are trading at or near all-time highs. Despite some recent gains, the market is on track for its roughest month since April, as inflationary concerns linked to Trump's policies loom. The decline follows a broader sell-off that ended the Dow's five-session winning streak, with all major sectors on the S&P 500 experiencing losses on Friday.