US STOCKS-Wall St stays near lows on Bernanke comments

(Updates with reaction to Bernanke)

NEW YORK, Dec 1 (Reuters) - U.S stocks stayed near session lows on Monday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the U.S. economy remained under considerable stress.

The Fed chief also said the scope for Fed interest rate reductions to aid growth was limited at this point. His comments came in a speech on the economy in Texas. For details, see [nWEQ000439]

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was down 434.64 points, or 4.92 percent, at 8,394.40. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was down 52.55 points, or 5.86 percent, at 843.69. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was down 91.84 points, or 5.98 percent, at 1,443.73.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)