NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks extended their decline on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 falling 1 percent following remarks by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke which suggested the central bank was not ready to pull back on its economic stimulus efforts but may act if the economy continues to improve.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 112.68 points, or 0.73 percent, at 15,274.90. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 19.25 points, or 1.15 percent, at 1,649.91. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 53.76 points, or 1.53 percent, at 3,448.37.
In a sign of divisions on the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee, minutes of the latest meeting released Wednesday highlighted an active debate over how soon the Fed should start to scale back its bond-buying stimulus.
(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
