Stocks Tumble, Led by GM, Financials

US stocks resumed their sell-off Thursday, finishing sharply and broadly lower on weakness in financial stocks and GM. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index closed at its lowest level since September, 1996, and the Dow Jones industrial average posted its lowest close since April, 1997. On Thursday, the 30-stock Dow Jones industrial average finished lower by 281.40 points, or 4.09%, at 6,594.44. The broad S&P 500 index was down 30.32 points, or 4.25%, at 682.55.