Wall Street opened the week on a positive note Monday, with stocks edging higher as investors closely watched U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to prevent a government shutdown. The move also buoyed cryptocurrencies, which posted modest gains alongside equities.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed roughly 50 points in early trading, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.8%. The rebound comes after a week of consecutive declines, leaving major indexes hovering near recent record highs.
AI Stocks Lead the Way
A surge in artificial intelligence–related shares helped fuel the broader uptick. Companies such as Oracle and Nvidia, both of which recently announced high-profile deals—including Nvidia’s partnership with OpenAI—saw renewed investor interest. Their gains added momentum to the market rally, keeping bullish sentiment intact.
Crypto Rallies in Tandem
The positive shift extended to digital assets. Bitcoin climbed above $113,000 and Ethereum rose to $4,180, pushing the global crypto market capitalization up 2.7% to $3.88 trillion. Analysts noted that the rally reflected the broader “risk-on” mood in financial markets.
Political Uncertainty at Center Stage
At the heart of market sentiment is Trump’s scheduled Oval Office meeting with congressional leaders from both parties on September 29. The White House is seeking support to keep federal funding intact, with a potential shutdown looming as early as Wednesday.
Wall Street views the standoff as a risk factor, particularly for the highly anticipated monthly jobs report, which is due later this week. A shutdown could disrupt key data releases and raise concerns about economic momentum.
Fed Policy and Market Outlook
Investors are also weighing expectations for monetary policy. Recent economic data have markets pricing in two quarter-point interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve over its next two meetings. A dovish shift from the Fed could further boost risk assets, potentially extending the current rally in both stocks and crypto.
