NEW YORK - US stocks ended lower on Thursday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.01 percent to 45,960.11. The S&P 500 sank 1.74 percent to 6,477.16. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 2.38 percent to 21,408.08.

Eight of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in red, with communication services and technology leading the laggards by falling 3.46 percent and 2.74 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, energy and utilities led the gainers by rising 1.57 percent and 0.23 percent, respectively.