US STOCKS-Market loses ground on economic woe, GM

(Updates with Nasdaq falling more than 1 percent)

NEW YORK, Nov 18 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks lost ground in choppy trade on Tuesday, sending the Nasdaq down more than 1 percent, as investors fretted about the worsening global economic downturn, offsetting Hewlett-Packard's (HPQ.N) upbeat quarterly results and profit outlook.

Uncertainty about the fate of talks over the desperately needed economic aid for General Motors Corp (GM.N) and others in the U.S. automobile sector also fueled caution.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was down 16.41 points, or 0.20 percent, at 8,257.17. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was down 7.69 points, or 0.90 percent, at 843.06. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was down 24.05 points, or 1.62 percent, at 1,458.00. (Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; Editing by Kenneth Barry)