Washington DC, Feb. 24 -- US stock markets declined sharply as tariff-related uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran made investors cautious, leading to increased selling pressure across major indices.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Monday fell by 821 points to close at 48,804, marking a decline of 1.66 per cent. The broader S&P 500 index also slipped by 1.04 per cent or 71.76 points to settle at 6,837 points. Meanwhile, the technology-heavy Nasdaq index declined by 1.21 per cent or 277.13 points to close at 22,608.

Investor sentiment remained weak amid uncertainty surrounding global trade and geopolitical developments. The weakness stems from renewed tariff-related concerns following Presid...