Wall Street rally: US market surging despite US gov shutdown concerns; here is what to look for

Investors were bracing for turbulence on Wall Street as the US government shutdown delayed key economic reports. Yet, defying expectations, the stock market surged on Friday, with both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting record highs. The rally isn’t just driven by Big Tech. Though companies like Nvidia, riding the AI boom, are still performing strongly, gains are widespread across the US stock market, according to AP. Smaller companies are also thriving: the Russell 2000 index has hit a record after taking nearly four years to recover its previous peak. Gold has reached new highs, and the most popular US bond fund is on track for its strongest year in at least five. Historically, shutdowns have had little impact on markets or the broader economy, and investors e