U.S. stocks extended a global slide, sending the MSCI World Index down the most in two months, as falling oil and metal prices weighed on commodity producers. Treasuries rose and the dollar strengthened.

Alcoa Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and DuPont Co. lost at least 4.2 percent as a weaker-than-expected report on New York manufacturing also dragged stocks lower. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. retreated 5.8 percent as copper sank by the daily limit in Shanghai on speculation supply may outpace demand in China, the largest consumer of the metal. Benchmark indexes for Europe and Asia sank as BP Plc and BHP Billiton Ltd. tumbled.

The S&P 500, which had climbed 40 percent from a 12-year low on March 9, decreased 2.4 percent to 923.72 at 4:08 p.m. New York time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, which last week erased its 2009 loss, tumbled 187.13 points, or 2.1 percent, to 8,612.13 as 28 of its 30 companies declined. Thirteen stocks fell for each that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. The MSCI World Index of developed nations plunged 2.7 percent, the most since April 20.

Europe’s Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index lost 2.5 percent after Group of Eight finance ministers, who met in Italy over the weekend, began drawing up contingency plans for rolling back budget deficits and bank bailouts as the economy shows signs of recovery and investors start worrying about inflation.

(Bloomberg.com)