Dow Jones industrial average

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 207 points, or 1.2 percent, to 16,462 as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time Friday.

The Standard & Poor's 500 dropped 21 points, or 1.1 percent, to 1,968 and the Nasdaq composite declined 55 points, or 1.1 percent, to 4,838.

Financial stocks, which would benefit from higher interest rates, dropped the most in early trading.

The bumpy trading Thursday came after the Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates low, citing weakness in the global economy and unsettled financial markets.

Bond prices rose, sending yields lower, as traders reacted to the Fed's prediction that inflation will remain subdued. The dollar fell against other currencies.

Bond prices also rose as the Fed said inflation would likely remain in check. While the Fed's decision was not a surprise, it does give investors certainty that the low interest rate environment will likely last for at least several more months.

The Fed winds up a two-day policy meeting later Thursday and could raise interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade. A long period of ultra-low interest rates since the financial crisis has helped send stock and bond prices higher.

Anheuser-Busch InBev jumped 7 percent after the company made a takeover approach to SABMiller, the owner of Miller and Peroni. Other beer makers also rose.

Hewlett-Packard rose 3 percent after announcing 30,000 job cuts, while FedEx sank 3 percent after posting results that fell short of analysts' forecasts.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 42 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,642 as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday.

Opinions are split over whether the Fed will raise its benchmark interest rate for the first time in almost a decade.

Many are speculating that the Fed will hold off and keep borrowing costs cheap. The Fed winds up its two-day meeting on Thursday.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 228 points, or 1.4 percent, to 16,599 Tuesday.

Traders are also waiting on Federal Reserve meeting where policymakers could decide to raise interest rates for the first time in close to a decade. The meeting starts on Wednesday and wraps up a day later.

KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average gained 41 points, or 0.3 percent, to 16,414 as of 10:04 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday. The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed four points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,957. The Nasdaq composite fell rose six points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,812.

More signs of slowing economic growth in China weighed on prices for copper and other commodities Monday. That sent prices for materials stocks lower. Energy stocks fell along with the price of crude oil.

The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 80 points, or 0.5 percent, to 16,352 as of 11:45 a.m. Eastern time.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up 10 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,950.

It was a quiet end to another turbulent week. Thanks largely to a big jump on Tuesday, the market finished with a 2 percent gain for the week, recouping a portion of the steep losses from the week before.

The major indexes headed lower at the opening of trading on Friday, as falling oil prices pulled oil and gas companies down.

The economic news wasn't encouraging, either. A reading on consumer confidence this month sank to its lowest level since September of last year.

U.S. crude sank 3 percent in early trading in New York Friday after the International Energy Agency forecast that oil supplies from non-OPEC countries are expected to plunge next year.

Drilling and other energy companies were among the biggest decliners in early trading. Rig operator Transocean fell 3.4 percent.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 68 points, or 0.4 percent, to 16,264 in early trading.