Stock Rally Fades As Investors Assess Fed Moves

By TIM PARADIS and SARA LEPRO

NEW YORK (AP) — Investors had a change of heart about the Federal Reserve's plans to buy Treasury bonds and doused Wall Street's two-week-old rally.

Banking and other financial shares pulled the market lower Thursday as investors worried the the Fed's plan would hurt the dollar and revive inflation. But energy stocks rose, getting a lift from soaring crude oil prices.

The retreat came a day after stocks surged in reaction to the Fed's aggressive plans to pump more than $1 trillion into the financial system by buying Treasury bonds and stepping up its purchases of other debt securities. The aim is to lower borrowing rates and stimulate lending.

But investors began to digest the possible downsides of the Fed's program, such as a potentially weaker dollar that can lead to higher prices for commodities such as oil and grains. And, eventually, staples like gas and food.

"After the initial euphoria surrounding the surprise announcement yesterday, there's a little more analysis of this going on and it's leading to some questions," said Todd Salamone, senior vice president of research at Schaeffer's Investment Research.