Stocks fall as Fitch downgrades Spain's debt; market heads to worst month in more than a year

NEW YORK – NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed out their worst month in more than a year by sliding again on more unsettling news about Europe.

The Dow Jones industrials dropped 122 points Friday after Fitch Ratings gave Spain the second downgrade of its credit rating in a month. The rating agency's action was another reminder to traders of the long-term economic problems still facing several European countries, and pehaps the rest of the continent and the global economy as well.

May was difficult as persistent and intensifying worries about Europe's debt problems sent the Dow down 7.9 percent and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index down 8.2 percent. Both indexes had their worst monthly performance since February 2009, the month before stocks began their recovery from 12-year lows. The Dow had its biggest May drop since 1962.

The last trading day of May fit the pattern of the rest of the month. Stocks alternately plunged and recovered, then dropped late in the day as investors facing a three-day holiday weekend decided to play it safe and sell.

Fitch cut Spain's rating by one notch, saying the country's plan to cut its budget will likely slow economic growth. Mounting debt forced Spain, among other European countries, to recently impose austerity measures to try and contain its rising deficit.

The rating agency also cited the recent bailout of a regional bank by Spain's central bank as a sign that the country's economic recovery will lag. Earlier this month, Standard & Poor's lowered its rating of Spain's debt. Greece and Portugal have also suffered downgrades.

Stocks were already down before the news about Spain broke in early afternoon.

"People are worried about Europe and we're seeing a knee-jerk reaction, particularly ahead of a long weekend," said Joe Heider, a principal at Rehmann in Cleveland. He said traders won't want to be holding some investments since U.S. markets are closed Monday, while European ones are open.

Heider noted that the new rating, just one short of Fitch's highest, is still quite good. It was more the timing of the cut before the holiday weekend than the actual downgrade itself that surprised investors, he said.

The market's reaction was an example of how quick investors have been to sell during May. Although the day didn't see the huge swings stocks had earlier this month — including the May 6 plunge that took the Dow to a loss of 1,000 points in less than 30 minutes — there was still plenty of emotion. Although Greece, the most troubled European country, has received a bailout and several companies are cutting their budgets to make it easier for them to pay their bills, investors fear that the region's debt problems can't be contained. They're also worried that austerity measures will stifle economic growth, and that Europe's slowdown will become the world's slowdown.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow fell 122.36, or 1.2 percent, to 10,136.63. The S&P 500 index fell 13.65, or 1.2 percent, to 1,089.41, while the Nasdaq composite index dropped 20.64, or 0.9 percent, to 2,257.04.

About two stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 1.45 billion shares.