Drastic economic measures have so far not been enough to stop a market meltdown.
Wall Street remained in the red on Wednesday, continuing a grim week that has seen all three major indices sink despite a series of drastic economic measures intended to address the growing fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average opened with a loss of around 1,300 points, or 6 percent, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq down by around 5 percent each.
The losses come after the White House announced on Tuesday that it is seeking a $1 trillion fiscal stimulus package that would help small businesses and certain industry sectors, and put cash directly in the hands of Americans.
The Federal Reserve also stepped in again on Tuesday, introducing a new measure that would keep credit flowing to businesses and households.
While that sweeping action temporarily boosted market morale, it was not enough to stop a sell-off. Restaurants and bars are shuttering their doors, small businesses are flailing, and even major corporations such as Marriott are furloughing thousands of employees.
A huge drop in oil prices has also fueled extreme market volatility, with crude oil now at a 17-year low. The widening economic slump and travel restrictions have weighed on demand, exacerbating the situation after a price war between two key producing countries, Saudi Arabia and Russia, pushed prices down to historic lows.
“When you decimate the restaurant industry, the travel industry, the hotel industry, the airline industry .. the cruise line industry, obviously you’re going to take a huge divot out of economic activity,” DoubleLine Capital CEO Jeffrey Gundlach told CNBC, adding that it was “ludicrous” to think the U.S. would not enter a recession.