Investing.com - U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday on fears that a government shutdown due to an impasse over a spending package may linger due to proximity of upcoming debates in Congress to lift the government's debt ceiling.
Soft private-sector jobs data pushed down stock prices as well.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 0.39%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.07%, while the Nasdaq Composite index dipped 0.08%.
Payroll processing firm ADP said earlier that U.S. non-farm private employment rose by a seasonally adjusted 166,000 in September, missing expectations for an increase of 180,000.
July's figure was revised down to a gain of 159,000 from 176,000.
The numbers dampened stock prices by painting a picture of a sluggish U.S. recovery.
Separately, expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue stimulating the economy with its monthly USD85 billion in asset purchases due to a soft labor market — possibly through December — to offset a government shutdown curbed losses.
Stimulus programs drive down borrowing costs to spur recovery, which is bullish for stocks.
Elsewhere, the U.S. government shutdown ran into its second day on Wednesday due to an inability among lawmakers to approve a spending package.
Concerns the shutdown will mean the official September jobs report won't publish Friday pushed the ADP report into the limelight on Wednesday.
Adding to investors concerns were fears lawmakers won't agree on a spending package needed to fund the government due to the proximity of the debt-ceiling debates in mid-October, which also watered down prices.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Microsoft, up 1.22%, General Electric, up 0.58%, and DuPont, up 0.51%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included United Technologies, down 2.25%, American Express, down 1.86%, and Coca-Cola, down 1.34%.
European indices, meanwhile, finished lower.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.51%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.92%, while Germany's DAX 30 fell 0.69%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 finished down 0.35%.
On Thursday, the U.S. is scheduled to release its weekly government report on initial jobless claims along with data on factory orders. Meanwhile, the ISM is to produce a report on non-manufacturing activity, a leading economic indicator.
Soft private-sector jobs data pushed down stock prices as well.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 0.39%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.07%, while the Nasdaq Composite index dipped 0.08%.
Payroll processing firm ADP said earlier that U.S. non-farm private employment rose by a seasonally adjusted 166,000 in September, missing expectations for an increase of 180,000.
July's figure was revised down to a gain of 159,000 from 176,000.
The numbers dampened stock prices by painting a picture of a sluggish U.S. recovery.
Separately, expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue stimulating the economy with its monthly USD85 billion in asset purchases due to a soft labor market — possibly through December — to offset a government shutdown curbed losses.
Stimulus programs drive down borrowing costs to spur recovery, which is bullish for stocks.
Elsewhere, the U.S. government shutdown ran into its second day on Wednesday due to an inability among lawmakers to approve a spending package.
Concerns the shutdown will mean the official September jobs report won't publish Friday pushed the ADP report into the limelight on Wednesday.
Adding to investors concerns were fears lawmakers won't agree on a spending package needed to fund the government due to the proximity of the debt-ceiling debates in mid-October, which also watered down prices.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Microsoft, up 1.22%, General Electric, up 0.58%, and DuPont, up 0.51%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included United Technologies, down 2.25%, American Express, down 1.86%, and Coca-Cola, down 1.34%.
European indices, meanwhile, finished lower.
After the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.51%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.92%, while Germany's DAX 30 fell 0.69%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 finished down 0.35%.
On Thursday, the U.S. is scheduled to release its weekly government report on initial jobless claims along with data on factory orders. Meanwhile, the ISM is to produce a report on non-manufacturing activity, a leading economic indicator.