Stocks drop, gold surges as Wall Street on edge at start of US government shutdown

Core Insights - The S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes experienced declines as Wall Street assessed the implications of a federal government shutdown on the US economy [1][4] - The S&P 500 rose over 3.5% in September, but private-sector job cuts reported by ADP fell short of expectations, indicating potential economic weakness [2][3] - Historical data suggests that the S&P 500 has generally performed well during past government shutdowns, with notable gains in several instances [5][8][9] Market Performance - The S&P 500 dropped 0.2% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.3% at the start of Wednesday's trading session [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average remained near flat after an initial decline of 52 points [1] - Gold prices reached all-time highs above $3,900 per ounce as investors sought safe-haven assets amid market uncertainty [5] Employment Data - ADP reported a loss of 32,000 jobs in September, contrasting with economists' expectations of a 45,000 job gain, marking the steepest decline since March 2023 [2][3] - The August job figures were revised from a reported increase of 54,000 to a loss of 3,000, further indicating labor market weakness [2] Government Shutdown Impact - The Labor Department's closure during the shutdown means the September nonfarm payrolls report will not be released, increasing reliance on private surveys for economic indicators [3] - Market sentiment appears to be influenced by the lack of progress in resolving the government shutdown, raising investor concerns [3] Historical Context - Historical performance of the S&P 500 during government shutdowns shows resilience, with gains recorded during various shutdown periods, including a 10.43% increase during the longest shutdown from December 2018 to January 2019 [6][8]