US stocks ended lower on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 putting in a fourth straight session of losses, as valuation worries hit big technology-related shares and a disappointing forecast pressured Home Depot.

The four-day drop was the benchmark's longest losing streak in three months.

Quarterly results from artificial intelligence and market leader Nvidia were due after the bell on Wednesday. The US earnings season is near its end, but Nvidia's results will be closely watched by investors worried about market gains tied to AI exuberance. Nvidia's shares were 2.8 percent lower on the day.

The September US jobs report is set to be released on Thursday after being delayed because of the long government shutdown. Earlier private market surveys have pointed to a cooling labour market. Data on Tuesday showed the number of Americans on jobless benefits surged between mid-September and mid-October.

Shares of Home Depot dropped 6 percent after the home improvement chain gave a forecast for full-year profit that disappointed and missed quarterly earnings estimates.

"You're having this massive sentiment correction during a period where earnings is delivering maybe above bull expectations, and, yet, there's so much fear circulating in the market," said Marta Norton, chief investment strategist at retirement and wealth services provider Empower.

The S&P 500 lost 0.8 percent, to 6,617. The Nasdaq fell 1.2 percent to 22,432 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 1.1 percent to 46,091.

Home Depot aside, earnings for this reporting period have been much stronger than expected. Year-over-year earnings growth for the S&P 500 is now at 16.9 percent, well above the 8.8 percent estimated at the start of October, according to the most recent LSEG data. (Reuters)