New Delhi, Sept. 9 -- US stocks declined on Wednesday as a sharp jump in crude oil prices added to investor concerns, with oil crossing the market-sensitive $100-a-barrel threshold for the first time since July as tensions in the Middle East intensified.

Brent crude futurhttps://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/usiran-war-live-updates-us-base-jordan-iranian-tankers-multiple-missiles-launched-strait-of-hormuz-trump-rubio-houthis-11788916382737.htmles climbed above $101 a barrel amid an escalation in the US-Iran conflict after US attacks destroyed five Iranian oil tankers.

At 09:44 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 357.08 points, or 0.68%, to 52,428.99, the S&P 500 shed 21.78 points, or 0.28%, to 7,651.74, and the Nasdaq Composi...