Stocks plummet on rumor of U.S. ground troops in Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon denied Tuesday that any U.S. ground troops are inside Iraq, after a rumor of military action helped send stocks down in early trading.

Marine Lt. Col. Dave Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman, said the mistaken report that caused the stir originated with Fox News, which later told him it had mistakenly rerun a report from last week that was subsequently denied by the Pentagon.

Fox did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The Dow Jones industrial average, which opened higher to start the session, fell by about 140 points to 10,033. Analysts also attributed the decline to a report showing slipping consumer confidence. The Dow later regained some of the lost ground.