US stocks ended broadly lower Monday on worries over the prospects for US borrowings after Standard & Poor’s cut its outlook on the US to negative.

The major indexes recovered from the day’s lows, however. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended down 140.24 points, or 1.1 percent, at 12,201.59, its worst one-day drop since March 16, in the aftermath of Japan’s quake and tsunami. It had fallen more than 240 points earlier.

The S&P 500 fell 14.54 points, or 1.1 percent, to 1,305.14, with energy leading declines across all 10 industry sectors.

The Nasdaq Composite fell 29.27 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,735.38.