Stocks fell heading into the close of trading on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve acknowledged the sluggish pace of the U.S. economic recovery but gave no hint of further plans for stimulus.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 57.29 points, or 0.47 percent, to 12,132.72. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dropped 5.88 points, or 0.45 percent, to 1,289.64. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 13.43 points, or 0.50 percent, to 2,673.83.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)