Wall Street’s Fear Gauge Jumps 44% in Four Days—What’s Behind the Market Panic?

New York, Saturday, 13 June 2026.
Investor anxiety has sent Wall Street’s ‘fear index’ soaring by 44% in just four days—the sharpest spike since geopolitical tensions escalated. President Trump’s tariffs, Iran strikes, and surging inflation (now at 4.2%) are fueling uncertainty, while skepticism over AI investments deepens the selloff. Tech stocks, once market darlings, are leading the decline. With oil prices climbing and the Fed under pressure, could this volatility signal a longer downturn?