See more of our coverage in your search results. US stocks slumped Wednesday on speculation the Federal Reserve may hike interest rates this year to keep a lid on inflation. Higher rates can tap the brakes on accelerating prices at cash registers, but they also slow the economy and hurt prices for investments. The Dow Jones Industrial Average went from a gain of 281 points in the morning to a drop of 507 points, or 1%, while the Nasdaq composite sank 1.4%. The S&P 500 dropped 1.2% and erased an earlier, mod ...