U.S. STOCKS SOLD OFF SHARPLY ON MONDAY, WITH THE NASDAQ FALLING MORE THAN 2 PERCENT, AS FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN BEN BERNANKE SAID THE FED NEEDS TO BE VIGILANT TO MAKE SURE INFLATION STAYS UNDER CONTROL EVEN AS THE ECONOMY STARTS TO SHOW A SLOWER PACE OF GROWTH, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. BASED ON THE LATEST AVAILABLE DATA, THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE WAS DOWN 197.31 POINTS, OR 1.75 PERCENT, TO END UNOFFICIALLY AT 11,050.56. THE STANDARD & POOR'S 500 INDEX WAS DOWN 22.58 POINTS, OR 1.75 PERCENT, AT 1,265.64. THE NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX WAS DOWN 49.34 POINTS, OR 2.22 PERCENT, AT 2,170.07, TAKING IT INTO NEGATIVE TERRITORY AGAIN FOR THE YEAR.
