The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped nearly 600 points into a correction at the end of the trading week, following the Nasdaq’s lead in a broad sell-off on Wall Street as the war with Iran continues.

Fuel budgets were under strain as the national average for regular gasoline surged by one dollar over the last month.

Meanwhile, consumer sentiment worsened in March, marking a three-month low.

We asked readers to weigh in on their financial situation and how the Iran War, which started on Feb. 28, is affecting their lives.

Financial Situation

While 44 percent of survey respondents reported feeling their household’s financial situation at least somewhat better off than it was a year ago, 18 percent said the gains were significant.

Thirty percent of respondents reported that their financial situation has stalled or declined.

Most Democrats reported the opposite, with 56 percent saying their household financial situation did not improve at all. Additionally, more than half (52 percent) of the people under age 35 did not feel better off financially.

Most respondents (73 percent) reported they have at least some savings to cover an unexpected major expense.

More than 60 percent of respondents were optimistic about their household’s financial outlook over the next 12 months.

As for the long-term outlook, nearly half (45 percent) felt at least somewhat concerned, and 39 percent said they were not very much or not at all concerned.

Jobs

More than 60 percent of respondents said they felt somewhat or very secure in their job or primary income source. However, nearly 30 percent of people under age 35 did not. More than half (53 percent) of the younger respondents reported that it was difficult to find a job in their community.

For the week ending on March 21, new claims for unemployment benefits rose by 5,000 but remained at historically low levels.

Roughly 38 percent were at least somewhat concerned about rising unemployment, while 36 percent reported little to no concern.

More than half of the respondents (56 percent) expressed at least some concern over AI-driven job disruption. Among those under age 35, the number was 63 percent.

Budget Pressures

A slim majority (51 percent) reported that energy costs were at least somewhat burdensome for their household budget.

Nearly half said inflation at least somewhat affected their household’s financial stability.

While 30 percent said the current interest rates were affecting their finances, 45 percent said interest rates were not very much or not at all affecting their finances.

When asked if their household income was keeping pace with inflation, 37 percent of respondents reported it was at least somewhat, while an equal 37 percent said not very much or not at all.

United States

A resounding majority (74 percent) believed that the United States was on the right track, with nearly half (46 percent) expressing strong confidence.

About 51 percent said the Iran war is not increasing uncertainty about the nation’s future very much or at all. Nearly half (48 percent) expressed little to no concern that the conflict could harm the U.S. economy.

Also, a slim majority (51 percent) supported open-ended U.S. involvement in the war with Iran, while 20 percent favored a strict limit of 60 days.

President Donald Trump maintains a firm grip on his base, with nearly 50 percent of respondents reporting increased support over the past year and 32 percent staying about the same.

For nearly two-thirds of those surveyed, the war with Iran strengthened their confidence in Trump’s leadership.

“Iran has been a problem and sponsor of terror for 47 years,” one reader said. “President Trump is doing an unpleasant and unpopular task that no other politician has been willing to undertake.”

The Epoch Times conducted this reader survey on March 25–26, by email and social media, generating 3,558 responses.