(task) U.S. stocks tumble to lowest point since February - The Washington Post

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> http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/us-stocks-tumble-to-lowest-point-since-february/2015/08/21/5d680d04-4813-11e5-8e7d-9c033e6745d8_story.html <http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/us-stocks-tumble-to-lowest-point-since-february/2015/08/21/5d680d04-4813-11e5-8e7d-9c033e6745d8_story.html>
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> U.S. stocks tumble to lowest point since February
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> U.S. stocks stumbled early Friday, declining for the fourth day this week in volatile trading that has wiped out investors’ gains so far this year.
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> The main forces behind the recent financial turmoil appear to be renewed concerns about China’s economy and uncertainty in Greece after the resignation of its prime minister. On Friday, China reported that its gauge of business fell unexpectedly, sending the Shanghai Composite Index into a steep 4.3 percent drop.
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> Investors also appear to be nervous as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise its benchmark interest rate, perhaps as soon as September.
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> European markets were down more than 1 percent Friday, but trading was more volatile in Asia. The Nikkei in Tokyo was off 3 percent.
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> In the United States, the declines were more subdued but still troubling, given significant losses over the last few weeks. The Dow Jones industrial average, an index of 30 blue-chip stocks, and the broader Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index were down about 1.3 percent and 2 percent respectively in morning trading. They have fallen in to negative territory for the year.
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> The declines pushed the benchmark S&P 500 briefly below 2,000 to its lowest point since February after an otherwise calm year that has been marked by fairly flat returns. The drop cut across industries: Every sector in the index was in the red Friday morning.