Stocks mixed as Fed leaves door open for stimulus

NEW YORK -- Stocks are closing mixed after the Federal Reserve says it is ready to provide more help to the economy if necessary.

The Fed didn't announce new purchases of government debt or other specific measures to help the economy now, but it did leave the door open to such steps in the future.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow Jones industrial average is closing up 7, or 0.1 percent, to 10,761.

Broader indexes fell. The S&P 500 index slipped 3, or 0.3 percent, to 1,140, while the Nasdaq composite fell 6, or 0.3 percent, to 2,349.

Falling stocks outnumbered rising ones two to one on the New York Stock Exchange, where volume came to 1 billion shares.