Stocks fall as violent protests in Egypt continue

U.S. stocks fell today amidst violent uprisings in the Middle East.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.39 percent, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell 1.79 percent and 2.48 percent, respectively.

Bond rose as the 10-year yield fell.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index edged down by 0.06 percent. About 0.5 percent of that index is comprised of Egyptian stocks, where most of the chaotic unrest is taking place.

Oil rose 4.37 percent as the world waits to see the fate of Egypt’s President, Hosni Mubarak, who has not been seen or heard from all day today.

Earnings reports and acquisition announcements seemed to have taken second place to the unrest in Egypt today.

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) , which plans to acquire Terremark Worldwide (Nasdaq: TMRK) for $1.4 billion in cash, a 35 percent premium on Terremark’s current share price, fell 2.36 percent.

Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) fell 3.88 percent, while Home Depot (NYSE: HD) and AT&T dropped by 3.37 percent and 2.28 percent, respectively.

The news of CBS’ (NYSE: CBS) biggest star, Charlie Sheen, being released from the hospital after being admitted yesterday for severe abdominal pains, did not help its share price, as it plunged 4.84 percent.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) will report their fourth quarter and 2010 earnings next week, as investors wait to see the fate of Mubarak.