Mumbai, Oct. 10 -- The Nasdaq edged down 18.75 points (0.1%) to 23,024.63, the S&P 500 fell 18.61 points (0.3%) to 6,735.11 and the Dow slid 243.36 points (0.5%) to 46,358.42.

Investor sentiment appears to be shifting as the U.S. government shutdown enters its ninth day with no resolution in sight. Ongoing gridlock in Congress-particularly over the inclusion of extended Obamacare tax credits in the funding bill has fueled uncertainty, with verbal clashes between parties signaling a prolonged impasse.

While markets initially shrugged off the shutdown, concerns are mounting about the broader economic impact of continued disruptions. Traders are also weighing recent comments from Fed officials, including Michael Barr who emphasized a cauti...