Major stock indexes tumbled, with the Nasdaq briefly falling more than 2 percent on Thursday, resuming their downturn after a labor market report became the latest datapoint to show the economy has stalled.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> slid 155.65 points, or 1.31 percent, at 11,740.79. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 20.64 points, or 1.64 percent, at 1,239.70. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 48.47 points, or 1.80 percent, at 2,644.60.

New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits edged down last week, pointing to a marginal improvement in the labor market, the Labor Department said.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica)