Market Sentiment and Performance - The US Senate's deal to end the government shutdown, the longest in history, positively influenced market sentiment in Australia, with the XJO index rising by 0.60% to 8,824 points [1] - US futures showed an upward trend during the Australian session, with the NASDAQ increasing by 300 points or 1.2%, indicating a potential pause in AI valuation concerns [4][6] Sector Performance - On the ASX, the Information Technology sector led gains on Monday, rising by 2%, followed by energy and materials sectors, while consumer staples and real estate lagged [9][11] - Droneshield faced negative market reaction after retracting a statement about new contracts worth $7 million, while ANZ's earnings were positively received despite a decline in key profit metrics [11] Company-Specific Developments - Downer EDI secured a $750 million contract from Chevron for maintaining non-process infrastructure at Gorgon and Wheatstone in Western Australia [11] - Rare earths stocks experienced a surge, potentially linked to reports suggesting that China's REE deal with the US may not be as trade-friendly as anticipated [12] Commodity and Trade Insights - The price of gold is hovering above US$4,000, indicating ongoing uncertainty in the market and sustained demand for safe-haven assets [14] - China has reportedly suspended export restrictions on antimony and other critical mineral exports to the US, with Larvotto shares rising by 8% amid speculation about the impact of these suspensions [13]