Dow Plummets 500 Points as Weak Jobs Data and Trade War Fears Rattle Markets

U.S. equities faced sharp declines Friday as disappointing jobs data and escalating trade tensions triggered a broad selloff. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 500 points, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.2% and 1.5% respectively.

July's nonfarm payrolls report showed only 73,000 jobs added—far below the 104,000 consensus estimate—casting doubt on economic resilience. Simultaneously, looming trade deal deadlines from the TRUMP administration amplified risk-off sentiment across financial markets.

Tech giants failed to provide shelter from the storm. Amazon shares tumbled after its cloud division AWS underperformed, outweighing positive earnings from Apple. The market's inability to rally behind single-stock bright spots underscores deepening systemic concerns.