Stock futures dropped early Wednesday as the U.S. government officially entered a shutdown, sending a fresh wave of uncertainty through financial markets. The Nasdaq, S&P 500, and Dow Jones all slipped ahead of key economic data and earnings reports. U.S. futures fall as shutdown beginsAs of early-Wednesday, here’s how things looked:Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.78%fell S&P 500 futures declined 0.65%declined Dow Jones futures slipped 0.56%The overnight dip comes after a strong September, where all three indexes posted gains:Nasdaq Composite: +5.6%+5.6% S&P 500: +3.5%+3.5% Dow Jones: +1.9%But the new quarter is starting on shaky ground. That means this Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report—a key data point for the Federal Reserve—will not be released as scheduled. With delayed data, political gridlock, and early Q4 earnings rolling in, investors should brace for choppy waters in the short term.