By Wednesday’s close, the Dow Jones Index (US30) rose 0.68% and reached a historic high. The S&P 500 Index (US500) gained 0.03%. The Nasdaq (US100) closed lower at 0.26%. Market optimism strengthened thanks to expectations of a swift end to the prolonged government shutdown. Late yesterday, President Donald Trump signed the funding bill, officially ending the longest federal government shutdown in US history and allowing agencies to resume operations.
In the tech sector, AMD was the growth driver, with prognoses exceeding analysts’ expectations. The company’s shares jumped 9%, supporting other industry players – Broadcom (+0.9%) and Qualcomm (+1.6%). However, overall growth was limited by weakness among large-cap companies, where investors continued to take profits, restraining Nasdaq’s performance.

European stock markets rose yesterday. Germany’s DAX (DE40) gained 1.22%, France’s CAC 40 (FR40) closed up 1.04%, Spain’s IBEX 35 (ES35) rose by 1.39%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 (UK100) closed positive 0.12%. The FTSE 100 ended trading with a slight gain, hitting a record high, but its performance lagged most other European markets due to declines in oil and gas stocks. Political uncertainty also weighed on sentiment after reports that Health Secretary Wes Streeting allegedly seeks to oust Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

On Wednesday, WTI crude oil prices fell more than 4%, hitting a three-week low of $58 per barrel. Pressure came from OPEC’s revised projections, which now see a supply surplus of about 500,000 barrels per day in Q3, compared with the previously expected deficit. Investors now await the US Energy Information Administration’s monthly report and the updated expectations from the International Energy Agency, due today.

On Thursday, silver rose above $54 per ounce, approaching the record high reached last month. The price increase was driven by stronger expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue its rate-cutting cycle this year. Additional support came from optimism around the imminent end of the US government shutdown, which will allow the release of delayed economic data and clarify monetary policy prospects.

Asian markets mostly rose yesterday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) gained 0.43%, China’s FTSE China A50 (CHA50) rose by 0.60%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) climbed 0.85%, while Australia’s ASX 200 (AU200) closed down 0.22%.

On Thursday, the offshore yuan rose above 7.10 per dollar, reaching a two-week high amid expectations of key macroeconomic data due Friday. Investors remain cautious, assessing China’s economic outlook amid signs of slowing domestic demand and uneven recovery.

On Thursday, the Australian dollar strengthened to around $0.655, reaching a two-week high after strong employment data reduced the likelihood of imminent monetary easing. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, employment rose by 42,200 in October, more than double analysts’ prognoses. The unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, below expectations of 4.5%. These figures reinforced the view that the labor market remains resilient and that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has no immediate reason for further rate cuts after three reductions earlier this year. Expectations of a rate cut in May 2026 fell to 32%, compared with about 70% before the data release.