Let's get to Kevin Hanks because obviously this brings a lot of action to Wall Street this morning. We have the pre-built playbook, the CBOE. Good morning, Kevin Hanks.Um, good to see you. I know you're looking at the records and the big picture. Good morning. >> Good morning, Nicole.You know, if if eyeballing the calendar with a government shutdown and in between earnings earnings you earning seasons, you would think this might be a slow week, but it's not. Clearly, we're off to a big start on this open AI ...

Core Insights - Gold futures opened at $3,913.50 per ounce, marking the first time it has opened above $3,900, reflecting a 0.8% increase from the previous close of $3,880.80 [1][4] Price Trends - The current opening price of gold is up 4.2% from the opening price of $3,754.80 one week ago and has increased 9.7% from the opening price of $3,567.80 a month ago [4] - Over the past year, gold prices have surged by 47.3% from the opening price of $2,656 on October 4, 2024 [4] Market Context - Gold's record-high pricing coincides with strong performances in stocks and Bitcoin, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average reaching new highs and Bitcoin surpassing $125,000 for the first time [2] - Despite the U.S. government shutdown and data reporting pauses, there is a high expectation for an interest rate cut later this month, with a 94.6% probability for a quarter-point reduction [2] Factors Influencing Gold Prices - Gold prices typically rise during periods of economic uncertainty and declining interest rates [3] - Key factors affecting gold prices include geopolitical events, central bank buying trends, inflation, interest rates, and mining production [9][14]

The Federal Reserve’s October rate decision could trigger unexpected shocks in U.S. stocks and Bitcoin as unresolved federal government shutdown risks cloud the outlook. Government shutdown delays key data ahead of FOMC meeting A partial federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1, shuttering many non-essential services including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This shutdown has indefinitely delayed the September jobs report — a crucial gauge of labor market health expected early this month. This ...

Economic Overview - Pre-market futures are mostly positive, but show signs of decline shortly before market opening due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has resulted in a lack of economic data, including the crucial Employment Situation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) [1] - The Dow is up by 44 points, the S&P 500 by 1.5 points, and the Nasdaq by 0.25 points, with the small-cap Russell 2000 also showing a gain of 6 points. All indexes are in the green for the trading week, with mid-single digits for the month and double-digit increases year to date, except for the Dow, which is up by 9% [2] Labor Market Insights - The government shutdown is impacting the availability of labor market data at a critical time, as there has been a rapid deceleration in non-farm payrolls over the past year. The absence of today's numbers leaves uncertainty regarding whether the labor market is stabilizing or continuing to decline [3] - The trailing four-month average for new jobs filled is +27K, significantly lower than the previous averages of +123K and +222K, raising questions about the future direction of the labor market [4] - The Unemployment Rate is expected to remain at a relatively benign 4.3%, but this figure does not fully capture the impact of retiring Baby Boomers and young individuals entering the workforce without meaningful employment, which skews the unemployment statistics [5][6] Market Expectations - Private-sector data remains unaffected by the shutdown, with expectations for the S&P final Services PMI and ISM Services for September to align with prior-month figures, indicating growth as both are above the 50-threshold [7] - The upcoming Q3 earnings season will coincide with the release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) for September, complicating the Federal Reserve's decision-making regarding interest rate cuts at their next monetary policy meeting [8]

Group 1 - The importance of high-quality data for monetary policy decisions is emphasized, especially in the context of the current government shutdown affecting data availability [2][3] - Inflation is noted to be rising, particularly in food and gasoline prices, which are significant concerns for the public [4] - The cost of housing is highlighted as a major component of inflation, with expectations of significant disinflation in the services component driven by changes in the housing market [5][7] Group 2 - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) typically meets every six weeks, and there is hope that necessary economic data will be available by the time decisions need to be made [3] - Current economic conditions include inflation at approximately 3% and unemployment at 4.3%, which are historically low [7] - The Atlanta Fed reported a growth rate of 3.8% in the third quarter, suggesting that economic models would not support a near-zero neutral rate under these conditions [8] Group 3 - The discussion includes the impact of fiscal deficits, which are currently about $400 billion lower than the previous fiscal year, contributing to a tighter monetary policy environment [28][29] - The regulatory environment is changing, with expectations of increased deregulation, which could expand potential output faster than actual output [14][30] - The relationship between financial conditions and monetary policy is explored, indicating that financial conditions can be influenced by non-monetary factors [29][30] Group 4 - The persistence of services inflation, particularly driven by housing costs, is identified as a key factor in inflation dynamics [33] - The expectation is that shelter rents will decrease, leading to a reduction in overall inflation [34][35] - The discussion on tariffs and their impact on inflation suggests that the burden of tariffs primarily falls on foreign producers rather than American consumers [40][42] Group 5 - The Federal Reserve's approach to inflation targets and the complexities of measuring inflation are discussed, with a focus on the challenges of public perception regarding inflation [21][23] - The need for forward-looking forecasts in monetary policy is emphasized, particularly in light of significant population growth shocks [18][19] - The potential for tax cuts to stimulate economic growth while tariffs may not lead to increased consumer inflation is analyzed [38][39]

Core Points - The U.S. Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate for the first time in 2025 due to concerns over labor market weakness, indicating potential economic slowdown [1] - There is a consensus among the Fed and Wall Street that another interest rate cut may occur at the upcoming meeting on October 28-29 [1] Economic Indicators - The Fed's dual mandate includes maintaining price stability with a target inflation rate of around 2% and supporting a healthy jobs market without a specific unemployment target [3] - As of August, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is increasing at an annualized rate of 2.9%, down from a 40-year high of 8% in 2022, which led to a significant increase in the federal funds rate from 0.1% to 5.3% between 2022 and 2023 [4] - Job creation has been weak, with only 73,000 new jobs added in July, below the expected 110,000, and a downward revision of 258,000 jobs for May and June, indicating a weaker economy [5] - In August, only 22,000 jobs were created, and the unemployment rate reached a four-year high of 4.3% [6] Future Projections - Economists expect 50,000 new jobs in the upcoming September jobs report, which could influence the likelihood of an interest rate cut in October [6] - The Fed's quarterly Summary of Economic Projections indicates expectations for interest rates, economic growth, inflation, and unemployment over the next couple of years [7]

Core Viewpoint - The Federal Reserve's September meeting resulted in a 25 basis point reduction in interest rates, lowering the key Fed Funds rate to a range of 4.00-4.25% [1] Group 1: Interest Rate Changes - The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to cut interest rates by 25 basis points [1] - The new Fed Funds rate is now set between 4.00% and 4.25% [1]

Core Insights - The private sector experienced a loss of 32,000 jobs in September, significantly below the expected gain of 45,000 jobs, following a downward revision of August's figures from 54,000 to a loss of 3,000 jobs [1][3] - The overall labor market is showing signs of weakness, particularly with small companies losing 40,000 jobs while only large corporations gained 33,000 jobs [2][3] Private-Sector Jobs Data Breakdown - The ratio of goods-producing to services jobs remained stable, with goods jobs down by 3,000 and services jobs down by 28,000 [2] - Education and Healthcare sectors led job creation with 33,000 new jobs, while sectors like Trade/Transportation/Utilities, Professional/Business Services, and Leisure & Hospitality saw losses of 7,000, 13,000, and 19,000 jobs respectively [4] Income Change Metrics - Job Stayers saw a 4.5% increase in income compared to a year ago, while Job Changers experienced a 6.6% increase, indicating a narrowing gap in income growth [5] Market Reaction - Pre-market futures showed a negative response to the job numbers, with the Dow down 160 points, S&P 500 down 30 points, and Nasdaq down 130 points, suggesting expectations for potential interest rate cuts [6] Government Shutdown Impact - The federal government shutdown is likely to hinder further job reports from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, limiting insights into the labor market's current state [7]

Core Insights - Automatic Data Processing (ADP) reported a decline of 32,000 jobs in the private sector for September, significantly below the expected increase of 45,000 jobs [1] - The August figures were revised down from an initial gain of 54,000 jobs to a loss of 3,000 jobs [1] - The overall labor market appears to be weakening, with the federal government shutdown likely exacerbating the situation [3][7] Private-Sector Job Breakdown - The job losses were primarily in small companies (under 50 employees) which lost 40,000 jobs, while medium-sized firms (50-499 employees) shed 20,000 jobs [2] - Large corporations (500+ employees) were the only segment to gain jobs, adding 33,000 positions [2] - By industry, Education & Healthcare added 33,000 jobs, while sectors like Trade/Transportation/Utilities, Professional/Business Services, and Leisure & Hospitality experienced losses of 7,000, 13,000, and 19,000 jobs respectively [4] Income Change Metrics - Job Stayers saw a 4.5% increase in income compared to a year ago, while Job Changers experienced a 6.6% increase, indicating a narrowing gap in income growth [5] Market Reaction - Pre-market futures showed a negative reaction to the job numbers, with the Dow down 160 points, S&P 500 down 30 points, and Nasdaq down 130 points [6] - Bond yields, particularly for the 10-year and 2-year, also declined, suggesting expectations for potential interest rate cuts [6] Future Job Data Expectations - Due to the government shutdown, further job data from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is unlikely to be released this week, limiting insights into the labor market [7]

Core Points - Stock futures are lower due to concerns over a potential government shutdown, with Dow futures down 40 points or 0.1% [1] - The S&P 500 futures also fell by 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures remained flat [1] - A government shutdown could delay the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly jobs report, impacting market sentiment and investor uncertainty regarding the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions [2]