NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell as a partial U.S. government shutdown dragged into a third day.

President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders spoke late Wednesday but the meeting appeared only to harden the stances of Democrats and Republicans.

Republicans in the House of Representatives, pushed by a core of tea party conservatives, are insisting that Obama accept changes to the health care law he pushed through three years ago. Obama refuses to consider any deal linking the health care law to routine legislation needed to extend government funding.

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