The S&P 500 index on Friday was on the verge of marking its firt close below its short-term moving average since early March, amid a sharp slump in the stock market. The S&P 500 index was trading down 1% at 4,177, with its 50-day moving average standing at 4.181.95, according to FactSet data. A close below that level would mark the first such decline since March 8, according to Dow Jones Market Data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 1.5%, down more than 500 points, while the Nasdaq Composite Index was trading 0.7% lower at 14,066. The decline for the market accelerated after St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said that he saw benchmark interest rates rising as soon as late 2022, in an interview on CNBC Friday morning. Market participants use moving averages to help gauge the long-term and short-term momentum in an asset.
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