(Bloomberg) — Tech megacaps dragged down stocks as bond yields jumped after hot retail sales spurred bets the Federal Reserve will be in no rush to cut rates. Oil whipsawed on geopolitical angst.
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In a volatile session, the S&P 500 erased an earlier advance and fell over 1%. Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp. led declines in the rate-sensitive technology space. Volatility perked up, with the premium for one-month put options to protect against a pullback in US equities hitting the highest since October. Wall Street’s “fear gauge” — the VIX — hit levels unseen this year.
“Stocks began to violate uptrends and pull back,” said Craig Johnson at Piper Sandler. “Interest rates are expected to stay higher for longer. A more cautious and tactical approach is favored as earnings season gets underway.”
The S&P 500 broke below 5,100, dropping to the lowest in almost two months. The tech-heavy…


