Bond traders are preparing for a wave of delayed economic releases that will shape expectations for the Federal Reserve's next rate move, with the September jobs report set to land Thursday after the government shutdown. JPMorgan's Priya Misra warned that stronger-than-expected labor figures could reduce the odds of a December rate cut and fuel volatility, while managers broadly expect the Fed to maintain an easing bias even if it pauses next month, as officials express uncerainty around the rate outlook.

Bitcoin fell to a six-month low of about $93,000 over the weekend amid tight liquidity, but analysts are optimistic about a potential rebound as the US government resumes normal operations. "The bottom line is this pullback reflects tight funding conditions and shifting rate expectations, not a break in crypto fundamentals," says Edward Carroll, head of markets at MHC Digital Group.

A potential rare earths agreement between the US and China could be finalized by Thanksgiving, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "I am confident that post our meeting in Korea between the two leaders, President Trump, President Xi, that China will honour their agreements," Bessent said.

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The Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index is on track for its best performance since 2020, potentially fueled by Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts and other factors. The index has returned about 6.7% this year, outpacing short-term Treasury bills. However, potential threats remain, including uncertainty over future rate cuts.

Adriana Kugler, former Federal Reserve governor, resigned after disclosing stock trades that violated Fed policies, including transactions during blackout periods ahead of Federal Open Market Committee meetings. The Office of Government Ethics has referred the matter to the Fed's Office of Inspector General. Kugler has said her husband made the trades without her knowledge.

As tech companies prepare to raise substantial funds for artificial intelligence investments, banks and investors are increasingly using derivatives to hedge against potential defaults. This trend has notably increased the cost and trading volume of credit default swaps, particularly for companies like Oracle and Meta Platforms.

Wall Street is pouring unprecedented capital into AI infrastructure, backing multibillion-dollar data center projects for tech giants like Meta, Oracle, and Amazon. Major fund managers, private equity firms, and banks are arranging massive debt and private deals to meet the surging demand for computing power, with some single deals reaching $30 billion or more.