The U.S. government shutdown has frozen the release of key economic reports, including the September jobs data, forcing investors and economists to lean on private and “alternative” indicators. The blackout complicates Federal Reserve decision-making and raises near‑term market uncertainty as traders try to gauge growth, inflation and labor conditions without the usual signals.
Source: The New York Times (DealBook)
U.S. services employment shrinks again as price pressures persist
America’s services sector saw employment contract for a fourth straight month amid tariff uncertainty and a lack of qualified workers, while input prices stayed elevated. The downbeat backdrop keeps the Fed in a tough spot: growth appears to be slowing, even as inflation frictions prove sticky in services.
Source: MarketWatch
OPEC+ expected to raise output quotas despite oil’s weekly slide
OPEC and its allies are likely to approve another monthly production hike even as crude posted its biggest weekly drop since June and forecasters see a near‑term surplus. The move would underscore producers’ confidence in demand resilience and could weigh on prices and energy equities while easing some pressure on headline inflation.
Source: MarketWatch
AI soaks up a record US$192.7B in VC, crowding out non‑AI startups
Venture investors have poured US$192.7 billion into artificial intelligence startups so far this year, putting 2025 on pace to be the first year where AI captures a majority of global VC dollars. Funding is concentrating in marquee names such as Anthropic and xAI, while capital gets scarcer for smaller, non‑AI ventures.
Source: South China Morning Post
SWIFT taps Ethereum Layer‑2 to modernize cross‑border settlement
Global payments cooperative SWIFT will use Linea, an Ethereum Layer‑2 network, for a new blockchain‑based settlement system, a move that could streamline cross‑border payments and intensify competition with Ripple’s enterprise offerings. The initiative signals further institutional adoption of public‑chain infrastructure to improve speed, transparency and interoperability in global finance.
Source: FinanceFeeds
Stablecoins hit US$300B market cap, up 47% year‑to‑date
Stablecoin market capitalization crossed US$300 billion for the first time, capping a rapid expansion from roughly US$400 million in 2018. The milestone reflects rising institutional and retail adoption for trading, settlements and on‑chain cash management, with continued inflows poised to influence crypto liquidity and digital‑asset market structure.
Source: FinanceFeeds
Key cybersecurity law lapses, raising risk for banks during shutdown
A bipartisan U.S. cybersecurity law that helped financial firms defend against hackers expired this week after a government shutdown and a senator’s procedural hold prevented renewal. The lapse leaves banks and other institutions more exposed to cyber threats, even as incident response and information‑sharing needs intensify.
Source: American Banker
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