Created: 9/24/2009 6:49:31 AM 
NEW YORK (AP) -- Investors may have been encouraged by the Fed's latest assessment of the economy, but not enough to lift the Dow Jones to the 10,000 level.
Stocks closed lower Wednesday as a brief rally followed the Fed's economic statement and then faded. The Dow came within 82 points of crossing 10,000 for the first time since October, but ended the day with a loss of 81 points to 9,749.
The Standard & Poor's 500 fell nearly 11 to 1,061, while the Nasdaq composite fell 14 to 2,131.
The National Association of Realtors today releases figures on August home sales, while the Labor Department releases new claims for unemployment benefits.
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