US stocks fell on Thursday after a sharp drop in European equities ignited by rumours of a short-selling ban in Germany swept away early euphoria from Warren Buffett's investment in Bank of America.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares fell 1.3 percent and Germany's DAX dropped as much as 4 percent to its session low on rumours Germany could enact a short-selling ban following the example of other European nations. A German Finance Ministry spokesman told Reuters they are not planning a general short-selling ban.
Apple Inc fell 1.3 percent to $371.49 a day after co-founder Steve Jobs resigned as chief executive, keeping the Nasdaq negative. Apple is the second-largest company in the S&P 500 by market capitalisation. The Dow Jones industrial average slid 169.15 points, or 1.49 percent, to 11,151.56 The Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost 18.44 points, or 1.57 percent, to 1,159.16. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 40.99 points, or 1.66 percent, to 2,426.70.