News Summary: Stocks drop on Italian worries
News Summary: Stocks drop on concern that close vote in Italy could undermine the euro again
NO LAUGHING MATTER: Stunning advances in Italy's elections by a former comedian running a protest campaign helped unnerve investors. Those gains and a strong showing by former premier Silvio Berlusconi suggested that Italy could be headed for political disarray, undermining the country's efforts to reform its economy and restore confidence in the region's currency, the euro.
DOW DROP: The Dow Jones industrial average plunged 216 points to 13,784, its biggest one-day drop since Nov. 7.
BOOK SALE: Barnes & Noble surged $1.55, or 11.5 percent, to $15.06 after chairman Leonard Riggio said he wanted to back control of the company's retail business.
