U.S. Stocks Slide as Government Shutdown Stokes Investor Anxiety

On October 1, U.S. equity markets opened lower amid heightened uncertainty surrounding a federal government shutdown. The impasse threatens to delay key economic reports and complicate the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook. In response, gold surged to a fresh record high, while stock futures and the U.S. dollar softened. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures each declined about 0.5%, signaling a cautious tone among investors heading into a volatile stretch for global markets.