The Dow fell 1 percent as stocks added to losses on Thursday. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 earlier declined more than 1 percent, with worries about the US "fiscal cliff" after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid warned the United States appeared poised to head over it.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 143.83 points, or 1.10 percent, at 12,970.76. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 17.60 points, or 1.24 percent, at 1,402.23. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 38.09 points, or 1.27 percent, at 2,952.07.