Stocks Plunge Most Since War Began Amid Iran Tensions, Trump's Mixed Signals

• US equities suffered their sharpest decline since the Iran conflict erupted, with a 1.7% slide on Thursday.
• Donald Trump claimed Iran was "begging" for a deal, but markets remained skeptical, leading to a selloff.
• Tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell over 2%, entering a correction; S&P 500 and Dow Jones also saw significant losses.
• Investor anxiety intensified due to Washington's oscillating messaging between escalation and diplomacy.
• Oil prices and bond yields climbed, signaling stagflation risks, while tech stocks faced pressure and Fed rate cut expectations shifted.