The Economic Times·2025-10-03 15:44Market Overview - The U.S. stock market reached record highs, with the Dow rising 366 points to 46,238, the S&P 500 gaining 0.4% to 6,823, and the Nasdaq adding 0.1% to 16,215, while the Russell 2000 jumped 1.4% to 2,492, indicating strong investor confidence despite the ongoing government shutdown [1][12][30] - All four major indexes are on track for a positive week, with the S&P 500 and Dow up more than 1% week-to-date, the Nasdaq rising nearly 2%, and the Russell 2000 increasing by 2.4% [1][13][30] Economic Indicators - The government shutdown has paused economic reporting, delaying the Labor Department's nonfarm payrolls report for September, which limits Federal Reserve insight ahead of its October rate decision [2][22] - The ISM services PMI for September came in at 50.0%, down from 52% in August, marking the lowest level of production since early 2020, with business activity and production falling to 49.9 and employment at 47.2 [8][25][31] Labor Market Concerns - Private payroll data from ADP indicated the largest job decline since March 2023, signaling a weakening labor market, which supports the case for another Fed rate cut [6][23][24] - Young college graduates are disproportionately affected by the labor market slowdown, highlighting challenges for early-career professionals [11][33] Sector Performance - The technology sector is driving the current market surge, particularly companies involved in artificial intelligence and innovative tech solutions, which are seeing strong investor interest [15][18][30] - Small-cap stocks are attracting investors, with the Russell 2000 rising 1.5% on Friday and nearly 12% higher year-to-date, reflecting a strong appetite for growth stocks [7][24][30] Notable Stock Movements - USA Rare Earth rose 8.8% after its CEO mentioned close talks with the White House, while GameStop fell 2.7% amid asset sale filings [9][32][30] - Applied Materials dropped 2.2% due to new U.S. export restrictions affecting revenue, while Johnson & Johnson was upgraded to "buy" by Wells Fargo with a $212 price target, indicating strong projected medicine sales [10][32][30] Federal Reserve Outlook - Markets largely expect a 0.25% rate cut at the October 29 FOMC meeting, influenced by low yields on the 10-year Treasury at 4.11%, which have contributed to the S&P 500 reaching a new all-time high [2][24][30] - Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee expressed caution about cutting rates too quickly, citing rising inflation and a weakening jobs market as challenges for the Fed [9][28][30]