President Donald Trump is threatening to dismiss thousands of federal employees, particularly in agencies running programs backed by Democrats, as the government shutdown drags on. Democratic leaders remain firm, pushing instead for expanded healthcare funding.
In Europe, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is working with lawmakers to secure passage of the national budget. Meanwhile in Spain, tensions rose as BBVA SA and Banco Sabadell SA executives offered conflicting signals in separate interviews, with the lender’s €17 billion takeover bid entering its final phase.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 ended little changed, while the Nasdaq 100 advanced 0.39%, fueled by continued demand for artificial intelligence-linked shares. European equities climbed about 0.3% and U.S. futures also pointed higher, even as investors brace for the likely postponement of the nonfarm payrolls report amid the government shutdown.
In commodities, gold is on track for its seventh straight weekly gain, underscoring investor appetite for havens in a volatile political backdrop.
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