U.S. markets fall on Fed report

The central bank's report said the economy showed signs of improvement but consumer spending and employment "remained weak."

By close, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 92.12 points, 0.92 percent, to 9,949.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 lost 0.89 percent, 9.66 points, to 1,081.40.

The Nasdaq composite index dropped 0.59 percent, 12.74 points, to 2,150.73.

On the New York Stock Exchange, 995 stocks advanced and 2,031 declined on a volume of 5.6 billion shares traded.

The benchmark 10-year Treasury fell 12/32 to yield 3.385 percent.

The euro rose to $1.5008 compared with Tuesday's $1.493. Against the yen, the dollar rose to 90.90 yen from Tuesday's 90.71 yen.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index lost 0.03 percent, 3.45, to 10,333.39.

In Britain, the FTSE 100 index gained 14.45, 0.28 percent, to 5,257.85.

Copyright 2009 by United Press International.