While today's upbeat private payrolls report might have been good news for some, Wall Street is viewing it as a sign that aggressive rate hikes from the Federal Reserve are far from over. The Dow wound up shedding over 300 points, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also suffered steep losses. Meanwhile, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) -- Wall Street's "fear gauge" -- is back on the rise after plummeting during yesterday's session. 

GOLD TAKES A BREATHER AFTER 4-DAY WIN STREAK

Oil rose after the Energy Information Act (EIA) shared a smaller-than-expected jump in weekly U.S. crude supplies. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for the now most active, February delivery, added 83 cents, or 1.1%, to settle at $73.67 per barrel.

Gold cooled today amid profit taking on the precious metal's four-day win streak. February-dated gold shed $18.40, or 1%, to settle at $1,840.60 per ounce.

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