Government Shutdown, Gold Miners, AI Layoffs And More: This Week In Economy - Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (ARCA:VOO)

Government Shutdown Impact - Historical trends indicate that the S&P 500 has gained in eight out of the last eleven government shutdowns, with an average increase of 1.46% over seven days surrounding these events [2] - Despite the looming government shutdown, U.S. stock futures surged, driven by optimism in AI, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures rising [4] Market Performance - The S&P 500 rose by 0.3% to 6,660, while the Nasdaq 100 led with a 0.6% increase, amid investor anticipation for economic data [3] - Most sectors in the S&P 500 saw declines, but information technology and communication services sectors advanced, indicating resilience in specific areas [4] AI Sector Trends - The U.S. tech labor market is experiencing a downward trend, with major firms implementing layoffs despite the hype surrounding AI technologies [6] - There is a significant gap between capital flows into AI and actual hiring within the sector, suggesting a disconnect between investment and employment [6] Gold Mining Industry - Gold mining stocks have seen nearly 200% gains year-to-date, yet they are considered undervalued, with expectations for historic profit margins [7] - The Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratios in the gold mining sector have contracted, indicating that mining stocks are growing faster than their share prices [7]