Wall Street slips amid tax reform uncertainty, General Electric losses

US stocks were lower in morning trading on Monday as uncertainty over a US tax reform deal and GE's dismal outlook hit investor sentiment.

General Electric fell 3.5 percent after the industrial conglomerate cut its 2018 profit forecast, slashed dividend and unveiled a restructuring plan. The stock weighed the most on the S&P 500 index.

The S&P and the Dow ended the week lower for the first time in nine weeks on Friday after Senate Republicans unveiled a new tax plan that differed from the House of Representatives' version.

Hopes of lower taxes, one of President Donald Trump's main campaign promises, have helped drive the S&P 500 up 20 percent since the 2016 presidential election.

"We're entering a period of uncertainty until the tax bill is either passed or till we have more details," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at First Standard Financial in New York.

"Any disappointment on corporate tax deductions will probably set the stage for the market to pull back."

With third-quarter earnings season on its last leg, investors are closely tracking developments around the tax bill as well as economic data to make their bets.
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