U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday after an undecided race for control of the U.S. Senate fueled investor uncertainty, outweighing a brief rally on news that U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld would resign.

U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday after an undecided race for control of the U.S. Senate fueled investor uncertainty, outweighing a brief rally on news that U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld would resign.