Stocks Fall as Fed Looms

Updated from 4:17 p.m. EDT

Stocks were sluggish to start the week as the fallout from the credit crisis continued to hit a mortgage lender overseas, hurting sentiment a day before an interest rate decision from the Federal Reserve.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 39.10 points, or 0.29%, at 13,403.42. The S&P 500 was off 7.60 points, or 0.51%, at 1476.65. The Nasdaq Composite fared the worst, dropping 20.52 points, or 0.79%, to 2581.66.

British lender Northern Rock pressured European bourses, and by extension the U.S., falling 40% on word that its customers withdrew roughly $4 billion from its branches. ...