Stocks Post Losses For the Fourth Day For the First Time in 2013

    US stocks fell today, with major indices reporting a loss for the fourth day in a row. For the Dow Jones (^DJI) and S&P 500 (^GSPC), this was the longest consecutive loss all year, while the NASDAQ (^IXIC) matched declines from Mid-June. The losses have been anticipatory, as the Federal Reserve September policy meeting is set to occur on Wednesday. One of the expected policy changes is a reduction in bond buybacks, which have been a major driving force in the market's impressive gains (the S&P 500 is up more than 16% this year.) As the Fed cuts back on its stimulus by decreasing the amount of bonds it buys back, markets could fall dramatically. Investors have reacted pessimistically to this news, taking less risks and leading to a decline in market performance. With few other major events in the world of finance, the upcoming Fed meeting is weighing heavily on the markets. Leading up to Wednesday, US stocks could continue to drop as stimulus tapering is expected by investors.

Sources:

Yahoo! Finance
CNBC

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