U.S. stocks tumbled Wednesday as a report stoked fears that China may curb bank lending and housing starts fell by more than expected last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 92 points, or 0.9%, at 10633, with Kraft Foods as the measure's worst performer. Kraft extended its losses from Tuesday, down 2.8%. Bank of America led the Dow after releasing earnings earlier on Wednesday. Bank of America was up 1.1% in early trading after posting a fourth-quarter loss of $194 million. Its revenue from trading fell sharply, but its mammoth consumer loan books showed signs of stabilizing. The Standard & Poor's 500-share index was down 1%, with only its health care sector in the black, benefiting from the Republlican victory in Tuesday's special election in Massachusetts. The tech sector dragged after International Business Machines reported after the market's close Tuesday that its fourth-quarter profit grew 8.7%. The tech giant posted higher margins and revenue inched up, but the company provided a 2010 profit outlook that didn't meet some expectations. IBM was down 2.6% on Wednesday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was down 0.9%. Adding to investor anxiety, housing starts slid 4.0% in December from November a seasonally adjusted 557,000 annual rate in December, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected starts would dip by 0.2% to an annual rate of 573,000. However, building permits in December jumped 10.9% to a 653,000 annual rate. Economists had expected permits to rise by 0.2% to a rate of 590,000.