Stocks ended sharply lower on Thursday, extending a selloff to four days, as a failure of policymakers to arrest global economic stagnation sent markets spiraling downward.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 389.58 points, or 3.50 percent, to end at 10,735.26. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 36.97 points, or 3.17 percent, at 1,129.79. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 82.52 points, or 3.25 percent, at 2,455.67.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)