US markets today: Wall Street inches toward new highs as tech stocks rebound; shutdown relief lifts investor mood

Market Performance - The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, nearing its all-time high from two weeks ago, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 127 points after closing at a record high the previous day [4][6] - The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.3%, led by renewed buying in chip stocks, indicating a recovery in technology shares [4][6] Company Insights - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw a significant jump after CEO Lisa Su projected annual compounded revenue growth of more than 35% over the next three to five years [4][6] - Nvidia, a leader in AI-focused chips, also advanced following recent losses, reflecting a stabilization in the AI sector [5][6] Economic Context - The ongoing federal government shutdown has raised concerns, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that a six-week closure could reduce fourth-quarter GDP growth by about 1.5 percentage points [6] - The shutdown has disrupted key government data on jobs, inflation, and retail sales, limiting the Federal Reserve's insight into the economy's trajectory [5][6] - Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted the division within the central bank regarding rate policy, indicating that the economy's health is "unusually cloudy" [5][6] Global Market Trends - European markets traded mostly higher, with France's CAC 40 and Germany's DAX each climbing 1.2%, while the UK's FTSE 100 remained flat [5][6] - In Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 added 0.4% to close at 51,063.31, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.9% to 26,922.73, while Shanghai's Composite Index slipped marginally [5][6] Energy Market - In energy markets, US crude slipped 65 cents to $60.39 a barrel, and Brent crude fell 66 cents to $64.50 [5][6]