Dow Jones Today Live: Market Opens Lower Amid Recession Fears

U.S. Stocks Slide at the Opening Bell, Dow Jones Falls Over 200 Points

Investors Express Caution as Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) plummeted over 200 points at the start of trading on Thursday, dragged down by concerns over a potential economic recession and the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate hikes.

As of 9:45 a.m. EST, the DJIA had dropped by 250.32 points, or 0.75%, to 33,233.11. The S&P 500 index also declined, losing 1.05% to 3,950.22. The Nasdaq Composite Index fared slightly better, slipping by 0.78% to 11,432.57.

The market sell-off came after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 75 basis points on Wednesday, the fifth such increase this year. The central bank also signaled that it intends to continue raising rates aggressively in an effort to combat soaring inflation.

Investors are concerned that the Fed's actions could slow economic growth and potentially lead to a recession. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note, a benchmark for interest rates, rose to 3.88% on Thursday, its highest level since April 2011.

Among the biggest losers in the early trading session were technology stocks, which are particularly sensitive to interest rate changes. Apple Inc. (AAPL) fell by 1.55%, while Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) declined by 1.31%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a widely followed stock market index that measures the performance of 30 large U.S. companies. It is one of the most closely watched indicators of the overall health of the U.S. economy.