Stocks edge lower as government shutdown looms

NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market edged lower in early trading today, a day after another big earthquake in Japan sent indexes lower.

Investors are watching Washington, where Republicans and Democrats are in the final day of talks to reach a budget agreement that would prevent a government shutdown. A shutdown will close government services that aren’t considered essential. That means the government will stop publishing most economic reports.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 22 points, or 0.2 percent, to 12,390 in morning trading. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index slipped 1 point to 1,332. The Nasdaq composite lost 7, or 0.2 percent, to 2,788.