Dow plunges below 25,000 as investors fear interest rate hike

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the stock market index of 30 major US companies, dropped 1,175 points on Monday, closing at 24,345. The index closed on a down note for the second straight day, having posted a 666-point drop on Friday, amid investor fears that the Federal Reserve could double the interest rates this year. The Dow had reached the record 26,000-point mark on January 17.