Widespread layoffs and poor housing data spurred a sell-off in stocks that saw the Dow give back yesterday’s gains and more, MarketWatch reports. Weekly jobless claims rose 159,000 and new layoffs were announced at Allstate and Eastman Kodak, stoking fear ahead of next Friday’s January employment report. The Dow fell 226.44 to 8,149.01, the Nasdaq lost 50.50 to 1,507.84, and the S&P 500 fell 28.95, settling at 845.14. (More Dow Jones stories.)