Stocks tick lower as government shutdown looms

Stocks ticked lower in early trading on Tuesday as the federal government heads closer to a possible government shutdown at midnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 20 points, or 0.04%, while the S &P 500 dropped 0.08%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 0.1%. The potential shutdown is set to arrive at a delicate moment for the nation's economy, as a hiring slowdown stokes recession fears and inflation proves difficult to fully contain. Top congressional leaders met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday afternoon in a last-ditch effort to avert a government shutdown. But as a stalemate persists, a shutdown seems nearly inevitable barring an unexpected breakthrough. A government shutdown typically risks only modest damage for the U.S. economy, stemming mainly from furl