WASHINGTON - Stock markets slid on Tuesday after fresh talks between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarty on raising the US debt ceiling ended without an agreement as a crucial deadline approaches.
With just weeks to go before the United States runs out of cash, the standoff has become the key topic on trading floors on fears that a failure by Washington to pay its bills will send shockwaves through markets and the global economy.
Wall Street opened lower while most European markets were down in afternoon deals and major Asian indices finished in the red.
"There is a cautious tone to trade with debt ceiling talks continuing," said Finalto chief market analyst Neil Wilson.
Months of negotiations have failed to break the deadlock and lift the borrowing limit from the current $31.8 trillion, though Biden and McCarthy ended their latest meeting on Monday on a positive note.
Both Biden and McCarthy described the talks as "productive", but the US president said the were still "areas of disagreement".
The House speaker said negotiators would "work through the night" to move the sides closer and that he and Biden would "talk every day to try to find a way to get this done".
While the two sides agree a default must be averted, they continue to disagree on certain issues. Democrats want to close tax loopholes to raise revenue and Republicans are calling for spending cuts.
Still, there is a broad view that a deal will eventually be done.
"Stock market participants are appearing fatigued by all the talk and the absence of the all-important action of raising the debt ceiling with June 1 lurking as a potential X-date when the US might not be able to pay all its bills," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare.
In Europe, eurozone stock markets dropped as data showed eurozone economic growth slowed in May.
In Paris, shares in French digital entertainment group Vivendi sank after a holding company linked to its main shareholder, French billionaire Vincent Bollore, sold off shares, thus dampening expectations he will make an offer.
In London, BT Group stock reversed earlier losses after French billionaire Patrick Drahi lifted his stake to almost one quarter, days after the UK telecoms group unveiled plans to axe up to 55,000 jobs.
Drahi, who was already BT's biggest shareholder, repeated that he does not intend to make a takeover bid.
Back in the United States, the Fed was also in focus ahead of next month's policy meeting, as investors track whether it will lift rates again or leave them unchanged for the first time since starting its hiking campaign more than a year ago.
"The debt ceiling drama has been a permanent distraction of late, but other components in the fray include the specter of the Fed continuing to raise rates, because inflation remains too high," O'Hare said.
- Key figures around 1350 GMT -
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 33,225.11 points
London - FTSE 100: FLAT at 7,772.44
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.4 percent at 16,167.68
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 1.2 percent at 7,390.94
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.8 percent at 4,351.31
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 30,957.77 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.3 percent at 19,431.25 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.5 percent at 3,246.24 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0777 from $1.0813 on Monday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2411 from $1.2437
Dollar/yen: UP at 138.63 yen from 138.60 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.80 pence from 86.94 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.9 percent at $72.72 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.8 percent at $76.63 per barrel