In energy ETFs, the United States Oil Fund ( USO ) is down 2.49% to $35.60 and the United States Natural Gas fund ( UNG ) is down 1.71% to $5.45. Stocks are sharply lower at mid-day as worries about higher interest rates in China and the prospect of a new round of bailouts for European Union nations heightens concerns among investors. In China, new limits were announced on the ability of foreigners to buy residential or commercial property on the Chinese mainland--signaling the latest effort in that country to contain inflation, MarketWatch report.