Why Are the Nasdaq And Other Indexes Selling Off?

Investors are refocusing on issues such as geopolitical tensions and government debt levels as the flow of quarterly reports slows, according to Altaf Kassam at State Street Investment Management. "There are a lot of risks out there and some of them have been masked as we went through earnings season," said Kassam, State Street's Europe head of investment strategy and research. Messaging from Federal Reserve policy makers about the chances of a rate cut in December is also giving investors pause for thought, he said.