STOCKS TUMBLE, GOLD SINKS: Here's What You Need To Know

[thenews]

There was a major sell-off across the financial markets today.

First the scoreboard:

Dow: 14,599, -265.5 pts, -1.7%

S&P 500: 1,552, -36.4 pts, -2.3%

NASDAQ: 3,216, -78.4 pts, -2.3%

And now the top stories:

• Just before 3:00 PM ET, there were at least two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. At least 30 are reportedly injured and 3 dead. The story is developing.
• The numbers are piling up to suggest we're heading for another spring swoon in the markets and the economy.
• Overnight, China dumped a slew of disappointing economic numbers. GDP, retail sales, and fixed asset investment all missed expectations. This is worrisome in that China is the world's second largest economy and it is a key source of global growth.

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