U.S. stocks fell on Friday as persistent worries about banks eclipsed news the government would announce a plan next week to prop up the housing sector by helping homeowners avoid foreclosures. Initial enthusiasm over the prospect of relief on the housing front proved to be short-lived after the White House cautioned against unreasonable expectations and doubts lingered about how banks will cleanse their books of toxic assets. The Dow on Friday had its lowest close since the bear market closing low of Nov. 20, capping a week when financial stocks were repeatedly pummeled as the government's latest bank rescue plan failed to allay investor worries. Shares of JPMorgan (JPM.N) shed 3.3 percent to $25.30 on Friday, making the stock one of the top drags on the Dow. The KBW Bank index .BKX fell 5.3 percent and ended down 14 percent for the week. "The banks are still a concern, plus we have a long weekend coming up," said Peter Jankovskis, director of research at OakBrook Investments LLC in Lisle, Illinois. "There are people that may be deciding they want to be out of the market for a few days. The market will be closed on Monday for the Presidents Day holiday. The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 82.35 points, or 1.04 percent, to 7,850.41. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX dropped 8.35 points, or 1.00 percent, to 826.84. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC shed 7.35 points, or 0.48 percent, to 1,534.36. Only three of the Dow's 30 components finished higher. The close for the Dow marked its worst showing since the Nov. 20 bear-market closing low and the index is now off 10.6 percent year-to-date after sliding 5.2 percent for the week. For the week, the S&P 500 was down 4.8 percent for its worst weekly showing since the bear market low of late November.

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