On Thursday, US stock markets faced a significant downturn due to ongoing uncertainties surrounding tariffs and disappointing forecasts from Walmart $WMT. This combination of factors dampened investors’ appetite for risk, leading to broad sell-offs. All three major US stock indexes ended the day in negative territory, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average suffering the steepest decline. Meanwhile, gold prices soared to record highs, underscoring a shift toward safe-haven assets amid growing instability.