JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Welcome to THE LEAD, I'm Jake Tapper. We're going to start with breaking news. Stocks plummeting as the coronavirus spreads amid serious concerns that experts worldwide might not be able to contain it along with fears of a global financial slowdown becoming more real. Take a look at the Dow Jones right now, finishing down more than 1,000 points at the closing bell. Well, it's about to close and it is around 1,000 points. Parts of Italy, the world's eighth largest economy now on lockdown with the largest concentration of coronavirus outside of Asia. Also and hit hard, South Korea the world's 12th largest economy also seeing a surge in the coronavirus cases. Let's go to CNN's Alison Kosik at the New York Stock Exchange where the bells are about to ring. And, Allison, this is the first time we've seen investors react so dramatically to the impact of the virus.</s>ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, investors certainly have woken up today, haven't they, Jake. You know, the surprise spike in the number of coronavirus cases, and those cases popping up in countries outside of China, that's what sparked this dramatic sell-off today.
Dow Drops as Coronavirus Cases Surge Outside Asia.