YAHOO [Briefing.com]: Stocks tumbled on Wednesday after a major retailer sharply reduced its full year earnings estimate and the Treasury said it was going to expand its emergency financial relief actions. In the end, the S&P 500 fell 5.2%, settling near session lows. The Nasdaq dropped 5.2% to its lowest closing level in five and a half years.

Treasury Secretary Paulson announced that the Treasury is dropping its original plan to buy troubled mortgage assets, as it no longer believes the plan is the most effective way to use the $700 billion financial relief package.

Instead, the Treasury will focus on three priorities for the remaining $410 billion in TARP funds. First, it will work to reinforce the stability of the financial system, which may include another round of direct equity investments. This time, however, the Treasury is also considering the needs of nonbanking companies.

Second, Paulson said the government will look at ways to support credit from outside the banking system, including the development of a liquidity facility for AAA asset-backed securities. The Treasury hopes the facility would increase consumer access to credit, as asset-backed securities typically encompass auto loans, student loans and credit cards.

Third, the Treasury is looking at ways to mitigate mortgage foreclosures.

Investors drove stocks lower on the news, recognizing that although funding markets have improved from five weeks ago, the notion that banks and nonbanks will still likely need more capital implies the stabilization period will be an extended one.

In corporate news, Best Buy (BBY 21.97, -1.91) said it is facing the most difficult climate it has ever seen. As a result, the company slashed its fiscal year 2009 (ends in February) earnings per share guidance $2.30 and $2.90 from its previous forecast of $3.25 to $3.40. This falls well below the consensus estimate of $3.02 per share and would mark a year-over-year decrease of between 28% and 9%.

Department store operator Macy's (M 8.37, -1.04) managed to post a smaller-than-expected third quarter loss and issue in-line full year guidance, but said it is increasingly concerned that it won't see the improvement in spring 2009 that it anticipated as recently as a month ago.

All ten of the economic sectors declined in broad-based weakness. The financial sector was a laggard, falling 6.9%. American Express (AXP 20.08, -2.32) fell 10.4%% on a Wall Street Journal report that the credit card company is requesting $3.5 billion from government aid.

The energy sector dropped 7.3% as crude prices plummeted 6.1% to $55.71 per barrel.

Defensive oriented sectors outperformed on a relative basis, but still posted steep declines. Utilities shed 2.8% and consumer staples dropped 3.8%.

Automakers were a pocket of strength. General Motors (GM 3.12, +0.20) and Ford (F 1.86, +0.06) gained on reports that the Rep. Barney Frank wants the Treasury to use some of its $700 billion to provide $25 billion in loans to GM, Ford and Chrysler.

Treasuries rose as risk averse investors sold stocks and commodities (-2.6%). The 10-year note fell 26 ticks to 3.64%, while the 3-month T-bill yield dropped 27 basis points to just 0.15%.

The S&P 500 is now only 1.5% above its Oct. 10 multi-year intraday low and is down 42.0% this year.DJ30 -411.30 NASDAQ -81.69 NQ100 -4.9% R2K -6.1% SP400 -5.5% SP500 -46.65 NASDAQ Adv/Vol/Dec 338/2.20 bln/2474 NYSE Adv/Vol/Dec 236/1.46 bln/2873