Strong earnings from Apple, Boeing and some others were not enough this week to offset Wall Street angst over the strong dollar, crashing oil prices and the Greek election.
US equities finished firmly lower, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbling 507.65 points (2.87 percent) to 17,164.95.
The broad-based S&P 500 fell 56.83 (2.77 percent) to 1,994.99, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gave up 122.64 (2.58 percent) at 4,635.24.
Volatility has picked up considerably in recent weeks in equity markets, with daily swings in the Dow of 100 points or more an increasingly frequent occurrence.
"You really have a lot of issues on investors' plates," said Mace Blicksilver, director of Marblehead Asset Management. "Unstable is the only way to describe it."
Blicksilver is in the camp of analysts who see parallels between current economic conditions and those of the late 1990s, when a big drop in oil prices and a surging dollar preceded a correction in equity markets.
This week, oil prices fell to fresh multi-year lows after US crude inventories hit a record peak.
US oil prices jumped more eight percent Friday in a surge that underscored that volatility is not limited to stocks. Major cuts in capital spending by Chevron, ConocoPhillips and others raised concerns over the impact on jobs and key petroleum-oriented economies, like Texas.
Strong dollar weighs
The dollar moved generally higher following a US Federal Reserve statement Wednesday that said US economic activity was expanding at a "solid" pace and kept alive the chance of an interest rate increase in 2015.
The dollar also came into sharp focus after Dow members Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and others cited the strong greenback as a factor in weak earnings, pressuring stocks.
P&G finished the week 6.4 percent lower after it said 2015 earnings would drop at least $1.4 billion due to currency effects. Microsoft ended the week 14.4 percent lower.
Adding to the worries was the election Sunday of the hard-left Syriza party in Greece, which has pledged to fight austerity measures imposed by international lenders.
Greek officials refused to meet European Union and International Monetary Fund officials and rejected fresh loans needed to keep the government running.
Stocks also reacted negatively after the Commerce Department's estimated fourth-quarter economic growth at 2.6 percent, a steep decline from the robust 5.0 percent level in the prior quarter.
There were strong aspects to the report, such as a sharp pickup in personal consumption spending. But investors reacted more to a drop in business investment, as well as to a duller headline number.
"Some people were a little overexcited and thought that the trajectory of growth in the US economy was going to be faster" after two strong quarters, said Scott Wren, senior equity strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors.
"Things are good, not great," he said. "Growth is modest."
Wren expressed confidence that the US stock market will post solid gains in 2015. He dismissed the recent market retreat as nothing more than "noise."
Market bulls could point to some positive data, including the highest reading for US consumer confidence in more than seven years. There were also some strong earnings reports.
Apple surged 7.3 percent after it announced record $18 billion profits for the December quarter on blockbuster sales of its big-screen iPhone models, especially in China.
Boeing was among the other standouts, soaring 9.7 percent on better-than-expected earnings and forecasting more strong growth for commercial airplanes.
Next week's earnings schedule includes oil giant ExxonMobil, General Motors and Twitter. A heavy calendar of economic reports includes the January jobs report from the US Department of Labor.
AFP
Sat Jan 31 2015
![US stocks fall on fear of strong dollar, Greek turmoil US stocks fall on fear of strong dollar, Greek turmoil](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-05/41399375994_295x200.jpg)
This week, oil prices fell to fresh multi-year lows after US crude inventories hit a record peak.
MBSB Bank bekerjasama dengan INSKEN, MAIJ lancar program untuk komuniti asnaf
Program tersebut bertujuan untuk mentransformasikan kewangan sosial Islam dengan memperkasakan individu dalam komuniti asnaf melalui latihan intensif, sokongan kewangan dan bimbingan berterusan.
![Buli siber: Sophia Albarakbah kumpul bukti Buli siber: Sophia Albarakbah kumpul bukti](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723696968_SophiaAlbarakbah.jpg)
Buli siber: Sophia Albarakbah kumpul bukti
Aktres Sophia Albarakbah kini giat mengumpul bukti untuk mengheret pihak tidak bertanggungjawab termasuk pembuli siber ke muka pengadilan.
![Suri rumah dilaporkan hilang, ditemui mati dibunuh dalam bilik Suri rumah dilaporkan hilang, ditemui mati dibunuh dalam bilik](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723706198_TBsurirumahmaut.jpg)
Suri rumah dilaporkan hilang, ditemui mati dibunuh dalam bilik
Seorang wanita yang sebelum ini dilaporkan hilang ditemui meninggal dunia disyaki dibunuh dalam bilik tidur rumahnya di Indera Mahkota di sini pada petang Rabu.
![Faisal Halim bukti 'pendekar' sejati - Irfan Bakti Faisal Halim bukti 'pendekar' sejati - Irfan Bakti](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723294016_FaisalHalim.jpg)
Faisal Halim bukti 'pendekar' sejati - Irfan Bakti
Faisal Halim layak dilabel pejuang sejati apabila mampu bangkit walaupun berdepan trauma selepas menjadi mangsa simbahan asid pada Mei lalu.
![Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723705839_TBHilang.jpg)
Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah
Polis memohon bantuan orang ramai mengesan seorang remaja perempuan berusia 15 tahun yang dilaporkan hilang di Beranang, Selangor.
![Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000 Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723705134_TBAhLong.jpg)
Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000
Seorang orang suruhan ah long mengaku bersalah atas pertuduhan menyimbah cat merah di rumah keluarga peminjam, Januari lalu.
![Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723705177_TBMyREF.jpg)
Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf
Lebih daripada 30 asnaf bersama ahli keluarga mereka telah diraikan di Majlis Graduasi MyREF Hijrahpreneur Skills Program (MyREF HSP) di Auditorium High Impact Research, Universiti Malaya.
![Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723704577_RusdiMohdIsa.jpg)
Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol
Polis telah mengenal pasti seorang pemain bola sepak yang ditahan kerana membawa kerambit ke padang bola, sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol di sebuah pusat hiburan di ibu negara.
![Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723703465_TBperkeso.jpg)
Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan
Bernama dan Perkeso menandatangani MoU bagi memperluas perlindungan sosial kepada pengamal media sambilan (stringers) melalui Skim Keselamatan Sosial Pekerjaan Sendiri (SKSPS).
![RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723701143_TBastro.jpg)
RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif
RADIO 360 merentasi 11 stesen radio Astro yang boleh diakses di aplikasi SYOK termasuk Era, Sinar, Gegar, Hitz, Mix, My dan Raaga.
![Batal projek MikroLED Apple Watch, LG tuntut pampasan daripada Apple Batal projek MikroLED Apple Watch, LG tuntut pampasan daripada Apple](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723544275_TBAppleWatch.jpg)
Batal projek MikroLED Apple Watch, LG tuntut pampasan daripada Apple
Punca Apple membatalkannya adalah kerana kos pembangunan dan pengeluar skrin mikroLED yang mahal hanya untuk jam.
![iPhone SE akan menyokong Apple Intelligence iPhone SE akan menyokong Apple Intelligence](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723437630_iPhoneSE.jpg)
iPhone SE akan menyokong Apple Intelligence
iPhone ini dikatakan akan dijana cip Apple A18 dengan memori 8GB RAM yang sudah mencukupi untuk menjalankan Apple Intelligence.
![Apple dan Samsung terus dominasi senarai telefon pintar paling laris pada Q2 2024 Apple dan Samsung terus dominasi senarai telefon pintar paling laris pada Q2 2024](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723348878_AppleSamsungTele.jpg)
Apple dan Samsung terus dominasi senarai telefon pintar paling laris pada Q2 2024
Apple dilihat mengekalkan bilangan tempat dalam senarai dengan empat model iPhone yang tersenarai.
![Apple dijangka perkenal dua peranti dengan skrin boleh lipat seawal 2026 Apple dijangka perkenal dua peranti dengan skrin boleh lipat seawal 2026](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41722839014_AppleSkrinBolehL.jpg)
Apple dijangka perkenal dua peranti dengan skrin boleh lipat seawal 2026
Walaupun tidak dinyatakan, mungkin kita boleh melihat iPhone boleh katup selain iPhone boleh lipat yang dibuka menjadi iPad.
![Apple padam satu lagi iklan didakwa guris perasaan warga Thailand Apple padam satu lagi iklan didakwa guris perasaan warga Thailand](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81722597343_Apple.jpg)
Apple padam satu lagi iklan didakwa guris perasaan warga Thailand
Apple segera memohon maaf dan mengatakan bukan niat mereka untuk mengguris perasaan golongan kreatif.
![Apple iCloud Private Relay kembali pulih Apple iCloud Private Relay kembali pulih](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41722311890_AppleiCloudPrivate.jpg)
Apple iCloud Private Relay kembali pulih
Menurut laman System Status oleh Apple, perkhidmatan geganti peribadi iCloud telah kembali pulih pada 28 Julai sebelum 11 pagi.
![iPhone 17 Slim hanya ada satu kamera? iPhone 17 Slim hanya ada satu kamera?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721881385_iPhoneSlim.jpg)
iPhone 17 Slim hanya ada satu kamera?
Skrin iPhone 17 Slim dikhabarkan memiliki saiz 6.6-inci, dijana cip Apple A19, dan dibina dengan tubuh aloi titanium.
![Anda kini boleh uji iOS 18 Public Beta Anda kini boleh uji iOS 18 Public Beta](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721100842_iOSPublicBeta.jpg)
Anda kini boleh uji iOS 18 Public Beta
Walaupun iOS 18 Public Beta sedia dimuat turun, ia masih lagi dalam peringkat pembangunan dan ujian.
![Apple sasar permintaan iPhone 16 lebih tinggi tahun ini, selari pengenalan integrasi AI Apple sasar permintaan iPhone 16 lebih tinggi tahun ini, selari pengenalan integrasi AI](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/81719026701_tbAppleIntelligence.jpg)
Apple sasar permintaan iPhone 16 lebih tinggi tahun ini, selari pengenalan integrasi AI
Apple turut menyasarkan pendapatan tahunan 2024 yang lebih tinggi, selari pengenalan ciri kecerdasan buatan pada sistem operasi mereka.
![Peranti IoT baharu Apple untuk rumah tertiris dengan cip A18 Peranti IoT baharu Apple untuk rumah tertiris dengan cip A18](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71720154048_tbAppleA.jpg)
Peranti IoT baharu Apple untuk rumah tertiris dengan cip A18
Peranti ini dikatakan akan berada dalam kategori yang sama dengan HomePod dan Apple TV iaitu aksesori untuk rumah.