Stocks down on dip in consumer confidence 

<p>SARA LEPRO</p>Associated Press<br>

<div><p>NEW YORK — Investors are adding consumer confidence to their growing list of things to worry about.</p><p>Stocks are sharply lower at midday after a private research group said consumer confidence unexpectedly fell in June.</p><p>Investors
had been expecting the Conference Board's measure of consumer sentiment
to hold steady. Consumer confidence is closely watched because spending
from consumers accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic
activity.</p><p>After months of economic data showing that the
recession was not getting worse, investors are hungry for signs that
the economy is growing.</p><p>The Dow Jones industrials are down 123
points to 8,405. The Standard &amp; Poor's 500 index is down 13 to 913,
while the Nasdaq composite index is down 15 to 1,828.</p></div>