The Nasdaq fell at the open on Wednesday after Apple missed earnings expectations, while the other big indexes opened little changed after a run-up in the last session on a report Europe would beef up its crisis fund.

Apple Inc's results fell short of estimates for the first time in years as it sold far fewer iPhones than expected. Shares fell 4.5 percent to $403.59.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 18.31 points, or 0.16 percent, at 11,558.74. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 2.69 points, or 0.22 percent, at 1,222.69. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 11.23 points, or 0.42 percent, at 2,646.20.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica)