Stocks stumble on eurozone data

NEW YORK, March 22 (UPI) -- U.S. markets were lower Thursday on a weak manufacturing report from Europe.

Eurostat said the Purchasing Managers Index for the eurozone fell from 49.3 in February to 48.7 in March. The figure is a three-month low and an ominous signal that the eurozone, as predicted by some, may be headed toward a double-dip recession.

By close of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 78.48 points or 0.56 percent to 13,046.14. The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 10.11 points or 0.72 percent to 1,392.78. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index lost 12 points or 0.39 percent to 3,063.32.

On the New York Stock Exchange, 786 stocks advanced and 2,231 declined on a volume of 3.5 billion shares traded.

The benchmark 10-year treasury rose 5/32 to yield 2.283 percent.

The euro fell to $1.3186 from Wednesday's $1.3216. Against the yen, the dollar fell to 82.53 yen compared to Tuesday's 83.35 yen.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index added 0.4 percent, 40.59, to 10,127.08.

In London, the FTSE 100 index lost 0.79 percent, 46.30, to 5,845.65.