U.S. stocks extended their losses on Wednesday, sending the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq down more than 1 percent, as investors fretted about a lack of fresh incentives to sustain the stock market's seven-month run-up.

Disappointing September new home sales fueled unease.

Top drags included technology, financials and natural resources sectors.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 55.02 points, or 0.56 percent, to 9,827.15. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dropped 12.22 points, or 1.15 percent, to 1,051.19. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 32.77 points, or 1.55 percent, to 2,083.32.

(Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)