Wall Street stocks tumbled Tuesday, snapping a two-day winning streak to close the first quarter on a sour note as volatility in equity markets stays high.
At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 17,779.99, down 196.32 points (1.09 percent).
The broad-based S&P 500 fell 18.16 (0.87 percent) to 2,068.08, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 46.56 (0.94 percent) to 4,900.88.
US stocks have been choppy as investors ponder US monetary policy, Greece`s prospects for staying in the eurozone and the big drop in oil prices.
"We`re seeing an increase in volatility. Investors have a lot of questions," said Alan Skrainka, chief investment officer at Cornerstone Wealth Management.
Data Tuesday showed a gain in consumer confidence in March and a modest year-on-year rise in US home prices in January.
