NEW YORK — Wall Street fell moderately yesterday as investors anxiously awaited the Federal Reserve's impending decision on interest rates.

The market is betting on a rate cut from the Fed when the central bank meets today, but investors are not completely sure what it will do and what it will say in its accompanying economic statement. Furthermore, with the major brokerages' third-quarter results yet to be released, investors are uncertain about how badly the summer's stock downturn, souring home loans and credit squeeze hit the banking industry.

Talk from former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan of the possibility of a recession amid high inflationary pressures also elevated Wall Street's jitters.