Stocks fell today after reports of a smaller-than-expected rise in new home sales and a drop in orders for durable goods over the last month. Blue chips Alcoa, Amex, and Wal-Mart all fell at least 2%, and RIM dropped 17.1% after issuing a disappointing earnings forecast. The Dow dropped 42.25 points to close at 9,665.19. The Nasdaq lost 16.69, closing at 2,090.92, and the S&P 500 fell 6.40 to settle at 1,044.38, the Wall Street Journal reports.