Several companies with a major presence in Iowa saw their stock prices take a hard fall Thursday as the stock market continued its downward spiral.

The Dow plunged 678.91 points, or 7.3 percent, to 8579.19, its lowest level in 5 years. It has fallen slightly more than 20 percent over the last 7 days.
The following stocks were down on the New York Stock Exchange at close of business Thursday:
FBL Financial Group Inc. of West Des Moines fell 18.9 percent to $15.21.
West Bancorporation of Des Moines fell 20.35 percent to $9.08
Heartland Financial of Dubuque fell 19.73 percent to $18.51.
Rockwell Collins Inc. of Cedar Rapids fell 6.76 percent to $37.65.
Principal Financial Group Inc. of Des Moines fell 27.37 percent to $15.79.
Wells Fargo & Co. fell 14.58 percent to $27.25.
United Fire & Casualty Co. fell 9.66 percent to $21.42.
EMC Insurance Group Inc. fell 18.59 percent to $18.66.
American Equity Investment Life Insurance Co. fell 36.67 percent to $4.75.
Heartland Financial USA Inc. fell 19.73 percent to $18.51.
Nationwide Financial Services Inc. fell 6.23 percent to $40.65.
AEGON N.V. fell 7.95 percent to $8.11.
ING Groep NV fell 6.84 percent to $12.81.
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., (Johnston-based Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc.) fell 6.53 percent to $33.76.
Gannett Co. Inc. fell .8.49 percent to $13.37.
Lee Enterprises Inc. fell 3.10 percent to $2.81.
Meredith Corp. fell 7.12 percent to $20.35.
Iowa Telecommunications Services Inc. fell 6.79 percent to $14.97.
The only bright spots were Meta Financial Group of Storm Lake, which saw its stock rise is 12.29 percent to $11.79, and Deere & Co., which saw its stock rise 2.66 percent to $39.




