US equity markets fell sharply as China's COVID-19 curbs and fears of aggressive U.S. Federal Reserve tightening continued to damp risk appetite and lifted the dollar to new two-year highs - Dow tumbled -809-points or -2.38% . The broader S&P500 -2.81% to 4,175.2, settling slightly above its closing low this year of 4,170.70 logged on 8 March. Consumer Discretionary (down -4.99%), Information Technology (-3.71%) and Communication Services (-3.16%) leading ten of the eleven primary sectors lower. The Energy sector was the only primary sector to advance, eking out a +0.04% rise. Twitter Inc fell -3.9% to US$49.68 a day after the board agreed to sell the social-media company to Elon Musk for US$54.20 per share, or ~US$44B. The technology-centric Nasdaq slumped -3.95%, booking its largest daily percentage drop since 8 September, 2020 and its lowest close since 14 December, 2020, according to Dow Jones Market Data. The index sits ~23% below its most recent record peak. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 shed -3.26%.
