The S&P/ASX 200 edged 0.1% lower to close at 8,948 on Wednesday, extending its three-session losing streak, led by declines in tech stocks. A weak lead on Wall Street also dragged the index, as investors weighed the prolonged US government shutdown and renewed doubts over the durability of the AI-driven rally. Domestically, latest housing data showed another monthly drop in building approvals, signaling ongoing weakness in the construction sector. On the corporate side, tech shares led the losses, down 1.2% to a one-month low, with Life360 falling 4.4% and WiseTech slipping 0.4%, tracking their US peers lower. Other notable decliners include Wesfarmers, the country's biggest non-food conglomerate, extending losses by 2.2% to its lowest since September 3. Financial conglomerate Macquarie also fell 0.6% after Britain’s regulator probed the planned sale of its helicopter leasing unit to Sumitomo Corp. Meanwhile, mining giants Rio Tinto (0.9%) and Lynas Rare Earths (1.5%) capped losses.