Weekly Market Wrap: IBM, Grindr, and Ford

Economic Impact - The current government shutdown is the second-longest in history, leading to dissatisfaction among furloughed workers and economic instability in regional banks [1] - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 3% over the past 12 months, slightly below the expected 3.1%, influencing expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut [2] - Bank of America analysts predict a 25 basis point rate cut to a range of 3.75-4.0% at the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting [3] Market Performance - Despite the government shutdown, the stock market remains largely unaffected, with the S&P 500 advancing 1.9% this week and the Nasdaq Composite rising 2.3% [5] - The small-cap Russell 2000 closed 2.5% higher this week, benefiting from the new CPI report and potential rate cuts [5] Commodity Trends - Gold prices declined by 2% this week after a continuous rally in the last quarter, while the CBOE Volatility Index decreased by 21% [4] - Oil prices closed 0.6% lower on Friday but maintained a weekly gain of 6.8% due to earlier increases from Russian oil sanctions [4] Trade Relations - Ongoing trade tensions are highlighted by President Trump's termination of trade negotiations with Canada, alleging illegal influence on the U.S. Supreme Court [5] - The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments regarding the legality of tariffs imposed by President Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on November 5 [6]