Stocks fell at the open on Wednesday as a slew of mixed results from major companies and a quarterly loss from Morgan Stanley increased jitters over the financial sector.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> fell 44.68 points, or 0.56 percent, at 7,924.88. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 5.93 points, or 0.70 percent, at 844.15. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 7.57 points, or 0.46 percent, at 1,636.28.

(Reporting by Edward Krudy; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Morgan Stanley