Market Volatility Continues as Stocks Dip on High Yields and Geopolitical Risks

US stocks opened lower as benchmark Treasury yields retreated from a spike to 5% following comments by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 were both down about 0.2%, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.4%. Powell's remarks signaled the Fed's commitment to maintaining low interest rates, which led to gains in Treasury yields. The 10-year yield briefly reached 5% but retreated to around 4.93%. Investors are still awaiting positive earnings reports to boost market sentiment, while concerns about the Israel-Hamas conflict escalating into a wider Middle East conflict continue to weigh on markets.