Level 1 - Absolute Beginner
Stocks went down in the United States on Friday. The Dow fell by more than 650 points. It ended the day at 52,215.
Oil went up. A barrel of Brent oil cost about 117 dollars. Investors do not like a high oil price. They worry about the war with Iran.
For the whole week, the Dow went up a little. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq went down a little.
- stock
- A small part of a company that you can buy.
- Dow
- A group of 30 big American companies, also its price number.
- point
- A unit used to measure a stock index.
- investor
- A person who puts money in companies.
- worry
- To feel afraid about something.
- barrel
- A large container for oil.
- week
- Seven days.
- market
- A place or system where people buy and sell.
Level 2 - Elementary
Wall Street closed lower on Friday as rising oil prices frightened investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 652.82 points, or 1.23 percent, and finished at 52,215.16. The S&P 500 fell 0.52 percent to 7,623.68, and the Nasdaq slipped 0.21 percent to 25,955.34.
Brent crude rose 3.1 percent to settle at 116.72 dollars a barrel, and U.S. crude closed at 103.27 dollars. Higher fuel prices can make everything more expensive, from flights to food, so investors fear that inflation will stay high.
Over the full week, the S&P 500 lost 0.5 percent and the Nasdaq lost 0.7 percent. The Dow gained 0.4 percent. Reports that the United States and Israel may be preparing new attacks on Iran added to the worry.
- close
- To end the trading day at a price.
- inflation
- A general rise in prices over time.
- settle
- To finish a day at a certain price.
- crude
- Oil that has not yet been made into fuel.
- slip
- To fall a small amount.
- fuel
- Something burned for energy, like petrol.
- preparing
- Getting ready.
- full
- Complete, all of it.
Level 3 - Intermediate
Wall Street ended a choppy week on a sour note on Friday as a jump in oil prices revived fears about inflation and interest rates. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 652.82 points, or 1.23 percent, to close at 52,215.16, while the S&P 500 retreated 0.52 percent to 7,623.68 and the Nasdaq Composite eased 0.21 percent to 25,955.34.
The driver was energy. Brent crude climbed 3.1 percent to settle at 116.72 dollars a barrel, with U.S. crude at 103.27 dollars, as renewed tension between Washington and Tehran and reports that the United States and Israel may be drawing up plans for fresh attacks kept traders nervous.
The weekly scorecard was mixed. The S&P 500 lost 0.5 percent and the Nasdaq 0.7 percent, but the Dow still gained 0.4 percent. The gap suggests that investors are not selling everything, only repricing the risk that expensive energy will squeeze company profits and keep central banks cautious.
- choppy
- Moving up and down in an unstable way.
- revive
- To bring back to life.
- retreat
- To move back or fall.
- composite
- Made of many different parts.
- energy
- Fuel and power, such as oil and gas.
- reprice
- To change the price or value of something.
- squeeze
- To press so that there is less room or money.
- cautious
- Careful to avoid risk.
Level 4 - Advanced
A late-week surge in crude oil undid whatever calm Wall Street had found, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surrendering 652.82 points, or 1.23 percent, to close at 52,215.16 on Friday. The S&P 500 gave up 0.52 percent to finish at 7,623.68, and the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.21 percent to 25,955.34.
Brent crude rose 3.1 percent to settle at 116.72 dollars a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate ended at 103.27 dollars. Sources differ on how far back that Brent level reaches, with some calling it the highest settlement since April and others the highest since June 2022, but all agree it reflects the war premium that traders attach to the Strait of Hormuz.
For the week, the S&P 500 declined 0.5 percent and the Nasdaq 0.7 percent, whereas the Dow advanced 0.4 percent, a divergence that hints at rotation rather than panic. The deeper concern is stagflationary: if energy stays this expensive, growth may weaken just as inflation resists falling, leaving central banks with an unattractive choice between supporting the economy and defending price stability.
- surge
- A sudden strong increase.
- surrender
- To give up or lose.
- premium
- An extra amount added to a price.
- divergence
- A difference that grows between things.
- rotation
- A shift of money from one area to another.
- stagflation
- Slow growth together with high inflation.
- resist
- To fight against a change.
- stability
- A steady condition without big changes.
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