US stock markets at record high: S&P 500 and Nasdaq surge; rate cut hopes boost optimism despite government shutdown

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices reached unprecedented levels when markets opened on Thursday, driven by fresh optimism regarding potential interest rate reductions, whilst investors prepare for minimal economic data releases as the week concludes. At market opening, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 20.0 points, representing a 0.04% increase, reaching 46,461.11. The S&P 500 advanced by 20.1 points or 0.30%, opening at 6,731.31, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 130.7 points, equivalent to 0.57%, touching 22,885.905 at the start of trading. Technology stocks surged again following OpenAI’s announcement of partnerships with South Korean firms for its Stargate AI infrastructure project. Additionally, Nvidia rose 1.7 percent at the start of trading, while other tech firms remained in