In A Dreadful Month For The Dow Jones Index, One Stock Shined

The Dow Jones Industrial Average snapped a 10-month winning streak as it fell 2,636.41 points (5.4%) in March, its worst month since September 2022. Energy stocks bucked the decline: Chevron’s rally (nearly 11% in March and as much as 32.6% from an entry point earlier in the year) helped offset losses, adding about 124 points to the price-weighted Dow. The advance in oil names was driven by geopolitical tensions tied to the Iran conflict, though Chevron reversed lower late in the period as signs the U.S. might scale back attacks on Iran pressured oil. Only two other Dow components rose in March: Verizon (up ~0.1%) and IBM (up under 1%), with IBM still down roughly 18% year-to-date. The piece is a market commentary highlighting sector divergence and geopolitical drivers behind recent index and stock moves.