The main US stock indices concluded the month of March and the first quarter of this year by closing a trading session yesterday, Thursday, March 31, 2022, with strong declines, as the Dow Jones index lost more than 500 points, so that the three indices recorded their worst quarterly performance since the first quarter of the year 2020 according to market data.

from Dow Jones. And US stocks were affected during the closing session of the month of March yesterday, Thursday, by the US President’s announcement to use the United States’ strategic oil reserves by one million barrels per day for a period of six months to put pressure on crude prices.

On the other hand, data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis yesterday, Thursday, showed that the annual index of the preferred inflation index of the Federal Reserve PCE rose to 6.4% in February, compared to 6% in the January reading, the highest reading of the index since 1983, while the main index, excluding food and energy prices, rose to 5.4% compared to 5.2% in the January reading.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down by (550) points at the close at 34.678 levels, a loss of about 1.56%, but it recorded gains in March of about 2.3% and a quarterly loss in the first quarter estimated at 4.6%.

On the other hand, the S&P 500 index recorded declines at the close at levels of 4.530, down by about (72) points, or 1.57%, recording gains in March by 3.6% and a quarterly loss in the first quarter by about 4.9%.

While the Nasdaq index recorded declines of (221 points) to close the session at 14,220 points, recording losses of about 1.54%, but it recorded monthly gains in March of about 3.4% and quarterly losses in the first quarter estimated at 9.1%.