The markets opened sharply lower with the Dow collapsing 324 points to 15,880 as crude oil prices continued falling. Nasdaq crashed 105 points to 4,257.
On the upside
A private equity group led by Apollo Global Management will take Apollo Education (Nasdaq: APOL) private for $1.1 billion in cash.
Rising gold prices lifted shares of Kinross Gold (NYSE: KGC) and Yamana Gold (NYSE: AUY).
BMO Capital Markets lifted its price target on Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) from $53 to $62.
On the downside
Energy Transfer Energy (NYSE: ETE) replaced chief financial officer Jamie Welch with Thomas E. Long prompting a downgrade.
Retreating crude oil prices weighed down shares of Williams Companies (NYSE: WMB).
Debtwire reported that Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) hired restructuring firm Kirkland & Ellis.
In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of nearly 8 to 1 on the NYSE and by more than 5 to 1 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 crashed 36 points to 1,843. Bitcoin eased a fraction to $376.