Dow Ends Day Down 51

Stocks are ending mostly lower, led by another drop in materials and energy companies as worries about global growth continue. The Dow Jones industrial average declined 51 points, or 0.3%, to 16,279 today. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up four points, or 0.2%, to 1,938. The Nasdaq composite also fell four points, or 0.1%, to 4,752. Investors are worried that more signs of weakness in China will mean soft demand for basic materials and energy. Dow Chemical and Chevron each fell 2%. The price of oil plunged 4% to $44.48 a barrel New York. That followed a 2% slump the day before. Bond prices fell. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.15%. (More Dow Jones stories.)