Dow Futures remain slightly elevated as the market anticipates a week characterized by numerous corporate earnings reports, albeit with a likely scarcity of significant U.S. economic indicators. The prolonged federal government shutdown, now exceeding a month, jeopardizes the timely publication of another significant assessment of the U.S. labor market. Palantir, a leader in data analytics, is set to announce its most recent quarterly results, as U.S. President Donald Trump suggests the possibility of implementing stricter regulations on the export of Nvidia’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence-enhanced chips.

Dow Futures exhibited a predominantly positive trend on Monday, as investors evaluated the prospects for equities in the wake of a dynamic trading week. As of 03:08, the Dow futures contract exhibited minimal movement, while S&P 500 futures increased by 3 points, representing a 0.1% rise, and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced by 33 points, also reflecting a 0.1% gain. The primary indices of concluded the trading session on a positive note on Friday, capping off a week characterized by significant earnings reports from major technology firms, pivotal interest rate decisions from central banks, and in-person negotiations between U.S. and Chinese officials. Supported by a surge in Amazon’s shares, which reported quarterly sales exceeding expectations, U.S. stocks achieved weekly gains and are currently experiencing their longest monthly winning streak in years. The rise in the e-commerce giant’s shares mitigated the negative sentiment stemming from Apple’s caution regarding supply constraints as it approaches the vital holiday quarter, alongside remarks from Federal Reserve officials that dampened expectations for further policy easing by the end of 2025.

Attention now shifts to the current U.S. government shutdown, which is on the verge of becoming the longest in American history. The shutdown has significantly hindered investors and Federal Reserve policymakers by depriving them of essential data points necessary to assess the condition of the U.S. economy. While the inflation reading for September was disclosed late last month, essential metrics regarding job growth remain unpublished. The trend may persist this week, potentially leaving markets without the latest nonfarm payrolls report, a crucial indicator of employment in the world’s largest economy that is generally published on the first Friday of each month. A tracker of job openings and labor turnover is also scheduled for postponement. In light of the significant developments from last week, the ongoing shutdown has left investors with a diminished framework for navigating the remaining two months of the year, as noted by analysts, who remarked that “in some ways, people are feeling even more confused than before.” Late last week, the market reported that lawmakers in Washington were making progress toward a deal to end the shutdown. However, President Donald Trump’s insistence that Republican senators circumvent Democrats in the chamber to reopen the federal government has introduced uncertainty into these discussions.

On the earnings front, data analytics giant Palantir Technologies is expected to announce its quarterly returns following the market’s close on Monday. In August, the company, which also engages in software for the defense sector, raised its full-year revenue forecast for the second time in 2025, attributing this adjustment to robust demand for its AI-linked services from both businesses and governments. The emphasis of the Trump administration on enhancing national security, coupled with a shift in Pentagon procurement strategies towards commercial and “non-traditional” suppliers, has significantly strengthened the group. Palantir’s shares have more than doubled this year, indicative of investor confidence that the company will lead in the AI sector and significantly benefit from heightened U.S. expenditures on defense technology. Palantir is projected to report a third-quarter operating profit of $255.6 million alongside revenue of $1.09 billion.

In other developments, Trump has asserted that advanced chips from the AI-favored Nvidia will be exclusively accessible to U.S. firms, excluding enterprises in China and other nations. “We don’t give” the Blackwell to “other parties,” he added. The remarks follow Trump’s statement to reporters indicating that he and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping did not discuss access to the Blackwell during their highly publicized meeting in South Korea last week, despite the U.S. president’s earlier suggestion that the topic might be addressed. However, Trump’s most recent statement could suggest a readiness to impose more stringent restrictions on advanced U.S.-manufactured AI technology.

Oil prices increased following the decision by a coalition of significant producers to refrain from raising output in the first quarter of the upcoming year, alleviating concerns regarding a potential global supply surplus. Brent futures experienced an increase of 0.7%, reaching $65.20 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures also rose by 0.7%, settling at $61.41 per barrel. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, collectively referred to as OPEC+, reached an agreement on Sunday to increase production by 137,000 barrels per day in December, maintaining the same level as in October and November. This decision had been widely anticipated; however, the cartel – which has now increased its production quota by approximately 2.9 million bpd thus far in 2025 – also announced that it will suspend its recent production increases during the first quarter of 2026. OPEC+ expressed apprehensions regarding an oversupply and tepid demand, identifying the January-March period as the least robust quarter for oil consumption.