NEW YORK - A big drop in Asian markets sent U.S. stocks falling as investors worried once again about the global economy.

Stocks sold off broadly Monday after China's main index plunged 6.7 percent, adding to a nearly 3 percent drop on Friday. The selling of Chinese shares has been fed by concerns over a tightening in bank lending that could hurt the country's economy. That in turn has weighed on markets around the globe this month. Markets in Japan and Europe were also lower.

There was little U.S. economic news expected Monday, but key readings come later this week on manufacturing and employment in August that have the ability to either sustain or upset the market's massive six-month rally.

After rising more than 45 percent from 12-year lows in March, the Dow Jones industrial average stands about 500 points away from 10,000. Investors have grown increasingly worried that the market may have gotten too far ahead of the economy. Without evidence of actual economic growth, analysts have warned that the market's rally could fizzle in the coming weeks, especially as traders head into September, historically a rough month for the stock market.

"There's enough jitteriness to set the stage for a decline," said Hugh Johnson, chairman and chief investment officer of Johnson Illington Advisors. "The economic numbers could neutralize the nervousness, could put portfolio managers' worries to rest."

Two big deals between The Walt Disney Co. and Marvel Entertainment Inc. and oilfield services companies Baker Hughes Inc. and BJ Services Co. did little to support the market.

In late morning trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 74.22, or 0.8 percent, to 9,469.98. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 9.58, or 0.9 percent, to 1,019.35, while the Nasdaq composite index fell 19.90, or 1.0 percent, to 2,008.87.

More than four stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 357.2 million shares, compared with 383.9 million at the same time on Friday.

In other trading, the Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 6.78, or 1.2 percent, to 573.08.

Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 0.4 percent after the country's opposition party came to power in a landslide victory. Germany's DAX index fell 0.9 percent, while France's CAC-40 lost 1.1 percent. The London Stock Exchange was closed for a public holiday.

Bond prices mostly rose. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, fell to 3.44 percent from 3.45 percent late Friday.

Two big acquisitions totaling close to $10 billion did little to excite investors Monday.