Stocks take a tumble in last hour

Time to worry about Europe again? Italy finds itself in political gridlock as the national elections failed to produce a clear winner. This means a shaky coalition government that's unlikely to push for the kind of austerity measures that would keep the budget deficit in check. As the nervous-making results rolled in, traders intensified their selling, with the Dow losing 216 points, to 13,784. What has been a mostly up-and-down month is finishing on the down side, perhaps the culmination of higher gas prices, Washington ineptitude, and now Europe. Still, the last-hour freak out seems a little overwrought.