U.S. stocks fell and the S&P500 Index retreated from a five-week high on concern the Federal Reserve has few tools left to combat the recession after cutting its benchmark interest rate to a record low.

The S&P 500 lost 1 percent to 904.42. Technology and energy shares were the biggest drag on the index as Apple tumbled and oil slid below $40 a barrel for the first time in four years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 99.8 points, or 1.1 percent, to 8,824.34. The Russell 2000 Index of small U.S. companies added 0.8 percent.

(Bloomberg.com)