US stock market values tumble amid reports of high layoffs and hiring freezes

The S&P 500 index fell 1% as the government shutdown left investors ‘groping around in the dark’ for up-to-date dataFears that the US economy is slowing, with firms shedding jobs and imposing hiring freezes, sent Wall Street tumbling on Thursday.The S&P 500 index of leading firms was down 1% as investors also highlighted concerns about the potential for a slump in the value of businesses that have benefited from huge investments in artificial intelligence. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 1.5%. Continue reading...