World shares are mixed as US government shutdown adds to uncertainty

Manila, Oct 1 (AP) US futures sank and world shares were mixed after a US government shutdown began on Wednesday.

The future for the S&P 500 dropped 0.8 per cent, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gave up 0.7 per cent. On Tuesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.4 per cent and the Dow gained 0.2 per cent, to set an all-time high. The Nasdaq composite ticked 0.3 per cent higher to 22,660.01.

In early European trading, Germany’s DAX lost 0.3 per cent to 23,818.68 and the CAC 40 in Paris edged 0.1 per cent lower, to 7,890.60. Britain’s FTSE rose 0.4 per cent to 9,390.92.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index shed 0.9 per cent to 44,550.85 after the Bank of Japan reported a slight improvement in business sentiment among major manufacturers.

The indications from the BOJ’s quarterly tankan surv