IMPROVING PICTURE: Federal Reserve policymakers upgraded their view of the economy, saying “economic activity has picked up.”

Stocks fell on Wednesday as investors worried the Federal Reserve is closer to pulling back on extraordinary measures to inject funding to shore up the economy.

Investors were encouraged by the Fed’s latest improved assessment of the economy, but not enough to propel the Dow Jones industrial average past 10,000.

With the economy on the mend, the Federal Reserve on Wednesday said it is slowing the pace of a program to lower mortgage rates and prop up the housing market.

Stocks fell on Wednesday as investors worried the Federal Reserve is closer to pulling back on extraordinary measures to inject funding to shore up the economy.

Shares of Electronic Arts Inc. shot up in heavy trading Wednesday amid rumors that Microsoft Corp. is eyeing the video game publisher — but Microsoft quickly denied the speculation.

The following stocks were among those that moved substantially or traded heavily Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq Stock Market:

The United States Oil Fund, USO tanked over 4% today sending crude oil on the retreat. See what other ETFs made the news today and will likely make their moves tomorrow!

General Mills Inc posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its full-year earnings forecast, helped by strong sales of products like its breakfast cereals in the United States, sending its shares up 4.3 percent.

Shares of coal mining companies fell Wednesday after an analyst downgraded the sector, predicting China’s demand has diminished as it has built an excess inventory of steel.