US equity markets retreated and booked their steepest monthly declines in a year, with financial and Information technology stocks under pressure and with investors eyeing US-Iran hostilities that are poised to drive crude prices sharply higher - Dow lost 521-points or -1.05%. American Express Co (down -7.88%) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (-7.47%) both dropped over >7%. Apple Inc fell -3.21% ahead of the company kicking off its first product launches of the year this week, culminating in a “special Apple experience" event on Wednesday night AEST (4 March). Microsoft Corp -2.24%