Gold prices hovered close to all-time highs in Asian trading on Thursday, as investors sought safety amid an ongoing U.S. government shutdown and rising confidence that the Federal Reserve will deliver further interest rate cuts. Spot gold was steady at $3,864.63 an ounce by 00:45 ET (04:45 GMT), after touching …

Bitcoin surged to a seven-week high on Thursday, lifted by seasonal “Uptober” momentum and expectations that the ongoing U.S. government shutdown could inject fresh liquidity into crypto markets. The world’s largest cryptocurrency rose 3.7% to $118,481.5 by 02:10 ET (06:10 GMT), briefly breaking above $119,000 for the first time since …

Oil prices steadied in Asian trade on Thursday, recovering slightly after sliding to near four-month lows in the previous session as rising U.S. crude inventories and speculation of another OPEC+ supply hike weighed heavily on sentiment. Market PerformanceAs of 21:52 ET (01:52 GMT), Brent crude futures (December delivery) rose 0.5% …

The latest ADP National Employment Report delivered a negative surprise, showing a decline of 32,000 private-sector jobs in September, well below expectations for an increase of 52,000. The report, compiled from payroll data of nearly 400,000 U.S. businesses, highlights further weakness in the labor market. It also marks a continuation …

The U.S. dollar remained under pressure on Wednesday, slipping toward one-week lows as the federal government shut down following a failed Senate vote to extend funding, raising concerns over delayed jobs data critical for Federal Reserve policy. The dollar index edged 0.1% lower to 97.92, extending recent losses. The greenback …

Italy’s manufacturing activity contracted in September, reversing August’s modest growth, as both production and new orders declined amid economic uncertainty, survey data showed on Wednesday. The HCOB Italy Manufacturing PMI dropped to 49.0 in September from 50.4 in August, marking the sharpest deterioration in three months. A reading below the …

Spain’s manufacturing sector expanded at a softer pace in September, with growth easing to its weakest level in three months, the latest HCOB Spain Manufacturing PMI survey showed. The seasonally adjusted PMI slipped to 51.5 in September from 54.3 in August, marking the slowest growth since June. Still, the index …

France’s manufacturing sector slipped back into contraction territory in September as both output and new orders fell sharply, according to data released Wednesday. The HCOB France Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global, dropped to 48.2 from 50.4 in August. The figure was marginally above the flash estimate …

Germany’s manufacturing sector lost momentum in September, as new orders declined despite stronger production growth, according to the latest business survey. The HCOB final Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global, edged down to 49.5 from August’s 38-month high of 49.8. The reading kept the index just below …

Gold prices surged to fresh records in Asian trade on Wednesday after the U.S. government officially entered a shutdown, fueling haven demand and weighing on the dollar. Spot gold touched an all-time high of $3,875.53 an ounce, before easing slightly to $3,862.22 by 00:22 ET (04:22 GMT). Gold futures for …