Stocks end lower as financials give up early gains (AP)

AP - Wall Street has ended another highly volatile session with a big last-minute loss as the market's stubborn worries about a protracted economic downturn and tight credit erased budding optimism about a housing sector recovery. The Dow Jones industrial average skidded 203 points to its lowest close in 5 1/2 years, with almost all the decline coming in the last 10 minutes of the session.