U.S. stocks slipped on Tuesday on lackluster economic data in a session marked by low volume and choppy trading ahead of the Thanksgiving Day holiday, but losses eased after the Federal Reserve increased its expectations for growth in 2010.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 17.24 points, or 0.16 percent, to end unofficially at 10,433.71. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dipped just 0.59 of a point, or 0.05 percent, to finish unofficially at 1,105.65. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> fell 6.83 points, or 0.31 percent, to close unofficially at 2,169.18.

(Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; Editing by Jan Paschal)