Tech leads market near records while DC's shutdown stalls jobs data

Market Overview - U.S. stocks are maintaining record levels, with the S&P 500 rising 0.1% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 68 points (0.2%) [2] - The Nasdaq composite is up 0.3%, hovering above its own record [2] Economic Data Impact - The government shutdown has delayed the weekly report on U.S. jobless claims and the monthly jobs report, increasing uncertainty in the market [3][4] - Investors are hoping for a specific slowdown in the job market to influence the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions [4] Corporate Developments - Corporate announcements are driving trading activity, particularly in the chip and AI sectors following OpenAI's partnership announcements for a $500 billion AI infrastructure project [7] - Stocks of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rose by 3.5% and 9.9% respectively, while Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom also saw gains of 3.7% and 2.2% [7][8] Sector Performance - Concerns are rising about a potential bubble in AI stocks due to significant investments in the sector [8] - Occidental Petroleum's stock fell by 7.8% after agreeing to sell its chemical business to Berkshire Hathaway for $9.7 billion [9] - Fair Isaac's stock surged by 20.7% after launching a program for mortgage lenders to access FICO credit scores directly [9] International Market Reactions - TransUnion's stock dropped by 9.5%, Equifax fell by 7.7%, and Experian's stock decreased by 3.6% following Fair Isaac's announcement [9][10] - The FTSE 100 in London edged down by 0.2%, while South Korea's Kospi jumped by 2.7% [10]