NEW YORK, New York - U.S. and global stocks fell again Friday as questions swirled over U.S. aspirations in the attacks against Iran while both the U.S. and Israel intensified air strikes. Meantime, the U.S. military confirmed all six crew members of a KC-135 military refueling plane that crashed Thursday while flying over Iraq were killed in the crash, which the military said was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire. Oil meantime surged once more above $100 a barrel.

Friday's sell-off capped a volatile week with a broad-based meltdown as investors also grappled with renewed inflation concerns and profit-taking in high-flying technology sectors. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite suffered the steepest losses, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average showed relative resilience.

The Nasdaq Composite was the day's biggest laggard among the major U.S. indices, dropping 206.62 points or 0.93 percent to close at 22,105.36. The decline was driven by weakness in megacap technology stocks, which have faced increased scrutiny over valuations following their strong run to start the year. Trading volume on the Nasdaq was heavy, with approximately 5.864 billion shares changing hands.

The broader Standard and Poor's 500 also finished firmly in negative territory, shedding 40.42 points, or 0.61 percent, to settle at 6,632.20. The benchmark index fluctuated throughout the session but ultimately succumbed to selling pressure in the final hour of trading. Despite the daily loss, the S&P 500 remains within striking distance of its recent highs. Volume on the index was recorded at 2.915 billion shares.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which has a heavier weighting toward industrial and financial companies, fared slightly better than its peers but still ended the day in the red. The blue-chip index fell 119.38 points, or 0.26 percent, closing at 46,558.47. With trading volume of 448.201 million shares, the Dow's more moderate decline suggested that investors rotated away from growth-oriented tech stocks while seeking relative safety in more traditional value sectors.

Key North American Market Closes for Friday, March 14, 2026:

• S&P 500: 6,632.20 (down 0.61 percent)

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: 46,558.47 (down 0.26 percent)

• NASDAQ Composite: 22,105.36 (down 0.93 percent)

• S&P/TSX Composite (Canada): 32,541.93 (down 0.91 percent)

U.S. Dollar Dominates Friday Trade as Safe-Haven Flows Intensify; Euro and Pound Slide

The US dollar emerged as the clear winner in global foreign exchange markets on Friday, flexing its safe-haven muscle against a basket of major currencies. Traders sought refuge in the greenback amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and jitters ahead of next week's pivotal central bank policy meetings, leading to sharp declines for the euro, pound, and commodity-linked currencies.

The common currency was under significant pressure. The euro tumbled 0.75 percent against the dollar, pushing the EUR/USD pair down to 1.1424. The move lower reflects growing concerns over the health of the Eurozone economy and its exposure to energy price shocks should the conflict in the Middle East widen.

Sterling fared even worse on the day. The British pound plunged 0.85 percent to trade at GBP/USD 1.3228. Analysts pointed to a combination of dollar strength and lingering concerns about the UK's economic growth prospects as the primary drivers behind the steep decline.

The dollar's strength was not limited to European currencies. It also powered higher against its major rivals in Asia and North America. The USD/JPY pair climbed 0.21 percent to 159.65, inching closer to the psychologically important 160 level that previously triggered intervention warnings from Japanese officials. Meanwhile, the USD/CHF pair rose by 0.64 percent to 0.7909, as the Swiss franc weakened despite its own reputation as a traditional safe haven.

In North America, the Canadian dollar lost ground against its surging US counterpart. The USD/CAD pair added 0.67 percent to reach 1.3729, weighed down by a softer outlook for oil prices, a key Canadian export.

The hardest-hit currencies on Friday were from the South Pacific. The commodity-sensitive Australian and New Zealand dollars suffered dramatic reversals. The AUD/USD pair cratered 1.14 percent to trade at 0.6995, sliding back below the key 0.70 handle. It was joined by the NZD/USD, which collapsed by 1.15 percent to 0.5786, marking one of the worst-performing sessions for the Kiwi in recent weeks. The sell-off in both currencies was attributed to a sharp downturn in investor risk appetite and falling commodity prices.

Market participants are now bracing for what is expected to be a volatile week ahead, with the Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and the Bank of Japan all scheduled to hold monetary policy meetings.

Key Exchange Rates as of Friday's Close:

• EUR/USD (Euro / US dollar): 1.1424 (down 0.75 percent)

• GBP/USD (British pound / US dollar): 1.3228 (down 0.85 percent)

• USD/JPY (US dollar / Japanese yen): 159.65 (up 0.21 percent)

• USD/CHF (US dollar / Swiss franc): 0.7909 (up 0.64 percent)

• USD/CAD (US dollar / Canadian dollar): 1.3729 (up 0.67 percent)

• AUD/USD (Australian dollar / US dollar): 0.6995 (down 1.14 percent)

• NZD/USD (New Zealand dollar / US dollar): 0.5786 (down 1.15 percent)

Global Markets Close Mixed Amid Geopolitical Jitters; Jakarta and Mumbai Suffer Steep Losses

Global stock markets presented a mixed picture on Friday, with most major indices closing in negative territory as investors navigated a landscape of ongoing geopolitical tensions and looked ahead to key central bank meetings. The pan-European markets experienced a broad sell-off, while Asian indices showed varied performance, with some suffering significant declines.

Canadian markets mirrored the largely negative sentiment. The S&P/TSX Composite Index dropped 298.67 points, a decline of 0.91 percent, to finish at 32,541.93. The sell-off in Toronto was broad-based, with volume reaching 264.127 million shares as weakness in energy and materials stocks compounded the negative tone from Wall Street.

he UK's FTSE 100 fared slightly better but still closed in the red, down 0.43 percent at 10,261.15.

In Europe, the selling pressure was widespread. France's CAC 40 index led the retreat, sliding by 0.91 percent to close at 7,911.53 . Germany's DAX also ended the session lower, falling 0.60 percent to 23,447.29 . The broader EURO STOXX 50 Index mirrored this trend, dropping 0.56 percent to finish at 5,716.61. T

Other European bourses followed suit. Belgium's BEL 20 index declined by 0.77 percent to 5,109.48, while the pan-continental Euronext 100 Index shed 0.36 percent, closing at 1,752.72. Analysts suggested that cautious sentiment prevailed, with many investors reluctant to hold large positions going into the weekend due to uncertainty in the Middle East and its potential impact on oil prices and inflation .

The negative tone extended into Asia, where selling was particularly acute in some markets. Indonesia's IDX COMPOSITE recorded the steepest drop among the indices, plunging 3.05 percent to close at 7,137.21. India's S&P BSE SENSEX also suffered a heavy sell-off, tumbling 1.93 percent, or 1,470.50 points, to end the session at 74,563.92. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell sharply as well, losing 1.16 percent to finish at 53,819.61. South Korea's KOSPI dropped 1.72 percent to 5,487.24.

Other regional markets saw more moderate declines. The STI Index in Singapore slipped 0.27 percent to 4,842.27. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 and the broader ALL ORDINARIES index each closed 0.14 percent lower, at 8,617.10 and 8,839.10, respectively. Taiwan's TWSE Capitalization Weighted Stock Index dipped 0.54 percent to 33,400.32.

Not every index ended the day lower. In a notable divergence, Israel's TA-125 index bucked the trend to close in positive territory, rising by 0.55 percent to 4,118.09.

Elsewhere, the S&P/NZX 50 in New Zealand edged down by a marginal 0.09 percent to 13,187.34. The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI decreased by 0.71 percent to 1,698.85. Russia's MOEX Russia Index was relatively stable, posting a minimal loss of 0.13 percent to close at 85.20, with trading volume recorded at 1.576 million. China's SSE Composite Index also fell, losing 0.82 percent to end the day at 4,095.45.

With the geopolitical situation remaining fluid, market focus is now firmly fixed on the upcoming policy meetings of the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, both scheduled for the week ahead.

(This report incorporates quotes retrieved with the assistance of artificial intelligence).

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