Stocks Ended Sharply Lower, Dow below 20,000

Stocks ended sharply lower on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing below 20,000 level, as worldwide cases of the coronavirus soaring above 200,000. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,338.46 points, or 6.30%, to 19,898.92. The S&P 500 fell 131.09 points, or 5.18%, to 2,398.10. The Nasdaq Composite lost 344.94 points, or 4.70%, to 6,989.84.

Oil futures extended their plunge Wednesday, sending U.S. prices to their lowest finish since 2002. West Texas Intermediate crude for April delivery fell $6.58, or more than 24%, to settle at $20.37 a barrel. May Brent crude dropped $3.85, or over 13%, at $24.88 a barrel.