Renewed taper concerns sent the markets tumbling to a sharply lower close with the Dow plummeting 129 points to 15,843. Nasdaq plunged 56 points to 4003.
On the upside
Astrotech (Nasdaq: ASTC) announced yesterday that its subsidiary 1st Detect was issued a patent for its ion trap that is used for chemical analysis and detection.
News that more people have signed up for Obamacare lifted shares of Select Medical (NYSE: SEM).
Variety magazine reported that Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA) has explored possibility of purchasing Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI).
On the downside
Shares of NII Holdings (Nasdaq: NIHD) extended its losses.
Investors continued to lock in profits on ReneSola (NYSE: SOL).
Trulia (NYSE: TRLA) will offer approximately $150 million in senior convertible notes.
In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of more than 5 to 1 on the NYSE and by nearly 7 to 2 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 plunged 20 points to 1782. Bitcoin held steady at $955.62.