why are the markets tanking? >> oil did breech a kind of psychological barier going below $50 a barrel. when you see oil fall that much, historically that has been associated with a significant economic downturn. the difference is really this time that you have a much bigger supply coming out of the united states. we've become the biggest producer of oil in the world. >> reporter: traders pulled out of energy-related stocks today but seemed to be searching for the right investments to take their place. while lower oil prices have been good for american consumers with cheaper gas putting an additional $14 billion back into their pockets in 2014, it's unsettling for investors. what will lower oil prices mean in the long run? >> the worry is there's something out there that all of us are missing, is it a larger slowdown in the global economy or will there be maybe some cracks uncovered that different financial institutions will be