Stocks fell on Wednesday, closing near session lows after the Federal Reserve acknowledged the sluggish pace of the U.S. economic recovery without hinting at further plans for stimulus.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> lost 80.34 points, or 0.66 percent, to close unofficially at 12,109.67. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> fell 8.38 points, or 0.65 percent, to end unofficially at 1,287.14. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 18.07 points, or 0.67 percent, to finish unofficially at 2,669.19.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Jan Paschal)