Stock Index Futures Muted as U.S. Government Shutdown Continues

Economic Policy and Market Sentiment - Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid emphasized the need for continued monetary policy measures to combat persistently high inflation, suggesting that current interest rates are only "slightly restrictive" [1] - Mark Hackett from Nationwide noted a "self-fulfilling rally" in the market, driven by strong earnings and investor confidence despite a lack of data and ongoing government shutdown [2] - Wall Street's main stock indexes ended mixed, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 reaching new record highs, indicating strong market momentum [2] Company Performance and Earnings - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) surged over +23% after announcing a partnership with OpenAI, which could generate tens of billions in new revenue [2] - Tesla (TSLA) rose more than +5% following a teaser for an upcoming event, reflecting positive market sentiment [2] - Comerica (CMA) increased over +13% after Fifth Third Bancorp agreed to acquire the regional lender for approximately $10.9 billion in stock [2] - McCormick & Company (MKC) is set to report its quarterly results, highlighting ongoing interest in the spice and condiments sector [7] Market Trends and Economic Indicators - U.S. rate futures indicate a 92.5% probability of a 25 basis point rate cut at the Fed's October meeting, reflecting market expectations for monetary easing [4] - Japan's household spending rose +0.6% month-over-month and +2.3% year-over-year in August, exceeding expectations and suggesting consumer optimism [12] - Germany's factory orders unexpectedly fell -0.8% month-over-month in August, indicating challenges in international demand [9] International Developments - President Trump is scheduled to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss tariff relief in key sectors, including autos and steel [5] - The Euro Stoxx 50 Index is down -0.04% amid political turmoil in France, with mining and healthcare stocks underperforming [8]