Stocks fell in late trade on Wednesday as financial shares sold off and technology shares slipped as the Federal Reserve's cautious comments on the economy fueled concern about the recovery.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 57.83 points, or 0.68 percent, to 8,417.02. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dropped 5.56 points, or 0.61 percent, to 902.57. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 10.12 points, or 0.58 percent, to 1,724.42.

(Editing by Leslie Adler)