US STOCKS-Wall St falls in choppy trade on oil, profit-taking

(Updates to show stocks falling)

NEW YORK, March 19 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks dropped on Wednesday as oil prices slid more than $4 a barrel and hit the energy sector, while investors sold shares to take profits after Tuesday's sharp rally on the Fed's rate cut.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was down 93.30 points, or 0.75 percent, at 12,299.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was down 8.79 points, or 0.66 percent, at 1,321.95. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was down 20.17 points, or 0.89 percent, at 2,248.09. (Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Jan Paschal)