Overview

• Large parts of the federal government are closed after funding lapsed, pausing key releases such as weekly jobless claims and the September nonfarm payrolls report.
• An ADP reading showing private-sector job losses led traders to price in quarter‑point Federal Reserve cuts at both remaining policy meetings this year, pushing Treasury yields lower and the dollar down.
• Gold set a fresh record near $3,895 per ounce, reflecting safe-haven demand as rate-cut expectations firmed and uncertainty over official data persisted.
• The S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched record highs and chip stocks outperformed after Samsung and SK hynix announced preliminary supply deals with OpenAI for its Stargate data centers, lifting Asian benchmarks including South Korea’s Kospi.
• Bitcoin traded around $118,000–$119,000 with broad altcoin gains, supported by softer real yields and renewed spot ETF inflows, even as regulatory and listings work remains delayed during the shutdown.