Wall St. Joins Global Tumble           09/21 09:44

   Stocks are falling sharply in early trading on Wall Street Monday, joining a 
global tumble for markets as the S&P 500 sinks nearly 2%.

   NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks are falling sharply in early trading on Wall Street 
Monday, joining a global tumble for markets as the S&P 500 sinks nearly 2%.

   Losses began in Asia as soon as trading opened for the week, and they 
accelerated in Europe on worries about the possibility of tougher restrictions 
on public life due to rising coronavirus counts there, before knocking U.S. 
stocks and Treasury yields lower.

   The losses were widespread, with almost all the stocks in the S&P 500 lower. 
The index was down 1.7% after earlier being down 2.1%.

   The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 591 points, or 2.1%, at 27,065, as 
of 9:49 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was down 1.2%. In another 
sign of the increased worry, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 0.65% 
from 0.69% late Friday.

   Wall Street has been shaky this month, and the S&P 500 has pulled back about 
9% since hitting a record Sept. 2 amid a long list of worries for investors. 
Chief among them is fear that stocks got too expensive when coronavirus counts 
are still worsening, U.S.-China tensions are rising, Congress is unable to 
deliver more aid for the economy and a contentious U.S. election is approaching.

   Bank stocks had sharp losses Monday morning after a report alleged that 
several of them continue to profit from illicit dealings with criminal networks 
despite being previously fined for similar actions.

   The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said documents 
indicate JPMorgan Chase moved money for people and companies tied to the 
massive looting of public funds in Malaysia, Venezuela and the Ukraine, for 
example. Its shares fell 2.8%.

   Big Tech stocks were also struggling again, much as they have since the 
market's momentum turned early this month. Amazon, Microsoft and other 
companies had soared as the pandemic accelerates work-from-home and other 
trends that boost their profits. But critics said their prices simply climbed 
too high, even after accounting for their explosive growth.

   Amazon fell 1.2% and Microsoft lost 1.6%.

   Tech's losses have helped drag the S&P 500 to three straight weekly losses, 
the first time that's happened in nearly a year.

   Shares of electric and hydrogen-powered truck startup Nikola plunged 18.9% 
after its founder resigned amid allegations of fraud. The company has called 
the allegations false and misleading.

   General Motors, which recently signed a partnership deal where it would take 
an ownership stake in Nikola, fell 5.6%.

   Investors are also worried about the diminishing prospects that Congress may 
soon deliver more aid to the economy. Many investors call such stimulus crucial 
after extra weekly unemployment benefits and other support from Capitol Hill 
expired. But partisan disagreements have held up any renewal.

   "With 43 days to the U.S. election, fingers crossed may be what little one 
can do when it comes to the fiscal stimulus hopes," said Jingyi Pan of IG in a 
report.

   Partisan rancor only continues to rise in the country, with a vacancy on the 
Supreme Court the latest flashpoint after the death of Justice Ruth Bader 
Ginsburg.

   Tensions between the world's two largest economies are also weighing on 
markets. President Donald Trump has targeted Chinese tech companies in 
particular, and the Department of Commerce on Friday announced a list of 
prohibitions that could eventually cripple U.S. operations of Chinese-owned 
apps TikTok and WeChat. The government cited national security and data privacy 
concerns.

   A U.S. judge over the weekend ordered a delay to the restrictions on WeChat, 
a communications app popular with Chinese-speaking Americans, on First 
Amendment grounds. Trump also said on Saturday he gave his blessing on a deal 
between TikTok, Oracle and Walmart to create a new company that would satisfy 
his concerns.

   Oracle rose 3.3%, and Walmart gained 1.1%, among the few companies to rise 
Monday.

   Layered on top of it all the concerns for the market is the continuing 
coronavirus pandemic and its effect on the global economy.

   On Sunday, the British government reported 4,422 new coronavirus infections, 
its biggest daily rise since early May. An official estimate shows new cases 
and hospital admissions are doubling every week.

   The FTSE 100 in London dropped2.9%. Other European markets were similarly 
weak. The German DAX lost 3.2%, and the French CAC 40 fell 2.9%.

   In Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 2.1%, South Korea's Kospi fell 1% and 
stocks in Shanghai lost 0.6%.