The S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes fell at the start of Wednesday’s trading session as Wall Street pondered the long-term implications of a federal government shutdown and its impact on the US economy.

The S&P shed 0.2% while the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.3%, falling more than 70 points just after the opening bell on Wednesday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average hovered near flat after an early 52-point decline. 3

The pullback came just one day after the market closed out a strong September, with the S&P 500 up more than 3.5% for the month.

Processing firm ADP reported that private-sector employers cut 32,000 jobs in September, missing economists’ forecast for a 45,000 gain.

The decline was the steepest since March 2023.

Adding to the blow, ADP revised its August reading to a 3,000 jo

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