U.S. Markets Pause for Breath as Earnings Season Kicks Off Amid AI Enthusiasm and Government Shutdown

U.S. equity markets are taking a breather this Thursday afternoon, October 9, 2025, as investors pause to digest a week of record-breaking gains and brace for the onset of the third-quarter earnings season. While the preceding days saw major indices reach unprecedented highs, today's trading has been marked by a slight pullback across the board, signaling a period of consolidation amidst persistent optimism around artificial intelligence (AI) and ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties, notably the U.S. governm ...