NEW YORK — U.S. stocks fell sharply after reports showed worries about President Donald Trump’s policies may be hitting the economy. The S&P 500 sank 1.7% Friday for its worst day in two months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.7%, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 2.2%. One report suggested U.S. business activity is close to stalling, with optimism slumping because of worries about tariffs and other potential policies from Washington. Reports on consumer sentiment and home sales also came in weaker than expected. Akamai Technologies weighed on the market after giving financial forecasts that fell short of expectations. Treasury yields fell in the bond market.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
U.S. stocks are falling sharply Friday after reports showed worries about President Donald Trump’s policies may be hitting the U.S. economy.
The S&P 500 was down 1.7% in late trading and heading toward its worst day in two months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 781 points, or 1.8%, and the Nasdaq composite was 2.2% lower, with an hour remaining in trading.
The losses accelerated through the day following several weaker-than-expected reports on the economy. One suggested U.S. business activity is close to stalling, with growth slowing to a 17-month low. The preliminary report from S&P Global said activity unexpectedly shrank for U.S. services businesses, and many in the survey reported optimism slumping because of worries about…