Year's winners lead Wall Street lower as default angst rises

NEW YORK: Stocks slid on Tuesday as traders cashed in gains in some of the year's best performers, while little progress was made to end a political crisis in Washington that could affect the U.S. fiscal standing and economic recovery.

A gauge of Wall Street anxiety hit its highest level in more than three months as equity markets showed growing concern over a partial U.S. government shutdown and with only nine days left for Congress to raise the U.S. debt borrowing limit.