Key Developments: Major U.S. stock indexes rallied into the last week of September, with the Nasdaq Composite +0.5%, S&P 500 +0.3% and Dow +0.15% on Monday reuters.com investopedia.com. Investors largely brushed off worries about a looming U.S. government shutdown, focusing instead on resilient economic data and a hoped-for Fed rate cut reuters.com reuters.com. Safe-havens like gold spiked to all-time highs investopedia.com, and the dollar and yields retreated as traders hedged into bonds investopedia.com reuters.com. Tech and growth sectors led gains investopedia.com, while blockbuster deals energized M&A sentiment: videogame maker Electronic Arts agreed to a $55B go-private buyout reuters.com, and Jefferies reported record advisory fees on a dealmaking boom reuters.com. On the policy front, the SEC fast-tracked a proposal to scrap quarterly earnings reports reuters.com, and analysts noted broadly bullish forecasts – Goldman Sachs boosted its S&P 500 year-end target to 6,800 reuters.com, while most traders still see Fed rate cuts by year-end reuters.com reuters.com. Below is a detailed recap of market moves, corporate news, economic data and expert views.
