The United States government, which had remained closed for the past 43 days, is finally set to reopen. The House of Representatives has passed a bill to end the shutdown triggered by President Donald Trump’s administration, clearing the way for government operations to resume once the President signs the legislation. The bill includes provisions to reinstate tens of thousands of employees who lost their jobs during the shutdown and to restore tax subsidies for millions of Americans who rely on health care insurance.
The prolonged deadlock began on October 1 after the Trump administration rejected key Democratic demands related to funding and federal support schemes. As the political impasse deepened, government activity across departments came to a halt, with only essential services continuing to operate. Food subsidy allocations under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were drastically reduced, affecting millions of low-income Americans. Airline services were disrupted as operational limitations grew. Several crucial economic growth indicators and reports were withheld by the administration, further rattling financial markets. The funding bill passed by Congress now ensures government functioning until early 2026 and includes a safeguard clause preventing the federal government from resorting to employee layoffs or abrupt suspension of subsidies during future crises.
Markets in the United States reacted immediately to the end of the political standoff. The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared to a historic high, closing at 48,254 points, up 0.68 per cent, marking the first time the index crossed the 48,000-point threshold. The S&P 500 also ended marginally higher with a 0.06 per cent gain, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.26 per cent due to selling pressure on major technology stocks. Futures trading, however, showed a slightly negative trend, with the Dow down 0.1 per cent, S&P 500 down 0.2 per cent, and Nasdaq down 0.3 per cent in pre-market movements. Despite this slight pullback in futures, the optimism generated by the reopening spread across global markets. Asian stock exchanges largely reflected the positive sentiment; Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.27 per cent. Meanwhile, indices in Hong Kong and Australia showed marginal declines. In Europe, the momentum continued strongly, with Germany’s DAX climbing 1.22 per cent and the FTSE in London posting a modest 0.12 per cent gain.
India gains momentum as government schemes and inflation drop boost confidence
India’s domestic markets are also expected to benefit from the upbeat global cues. On the previous trading day, the Sensex surged by 595 points, rising 0.71 per cent to close at 84,466, while the Nifty advanced 180 points, up 0.70 per cent, to settle at 25,875. These gains marked the strongest single-day performance for Indian indices in nearly a month. Optimism surrounding a possible India-US trade agreement, coupled with stable and encouraging corporate earnings for the September quarter, contributed to the market’s buoyancy. Though early indicators showed the GIFT Nifty trading slightly lower this morning, analysts expect the Sensex and Nifty to sustain their upward trajectory through the day.
Ensuring ‘Made in India’ resonates even louder in the world market!
The Union Cabinet approved the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), which will improve export competitiveness, help MSMEs, first-time exporters and sectors that are labour-intensive. It brings together key…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 13, 2025
A major contributor to domestic market confidence is the central government’s announcement of a Rs 25,060-crore Export Promotion Mission (EPM) and a Rs 20,000-crore Credit Guarantee Scheme aimed at strengthening India’s export sector. The new incentive package is designed to support industries that have borne the brunt of tariff-related disruptions, particularly those arising from US trade policies under the Trump administration. Sectors such as apparel, leather goods, gems and jewellery, engineering goods and marine products are expected to be key beneficiaries. The government’s objectives include stabilising export orders, safeguarding employment, and expanding India’s presence in diversified global markets. In addition to these measures, the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters will offer 100 per cent guaranteed loans to eligible exporters, including those in the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) segment, thereby easing liquidity constraints and encouraging higher export activity.
Adding further relief to the economic landscape, inflation data released yesterday revealed that retail inflation had dropped to an unprecedented low of 0.25 per cent last month. Food inflation registered an even sharper decline, falling to negative 5.18 per cent. This steep reduction is attributed to the lowering of GST rates and smoother agricultural production and distribution networks. Corporate India is also under the spotlight today, as major companies, including Hero MotoCorp, Eicher Motors, LG Electronics, NSDL, Voltas, Apollo Tyres, Muthoot Finance, Jubilant FoodWorks, Samvardhana Motherson, New India Assurance, Orkla, Titagarh Rail and GMR Airports, are set to announce their quarterly results. Tata Steel reported its operational results yesterday, posting a remarkable 319.5 per cent rise in profit alongside an 8.9 per cent increase in revenue. IRCTC reported an 11.1 per cent rise in profit and a 7.7 per cent revenue increase. Shares of Adani Enterprises surged by over 6 per cent amid preparations for a massive Rs 24,930-crore rights issue. The rights issue is priced at Rs 1,800 per share, representing a 24 per cent discount to the current market price of Rs 2,517.
Global Commodity Swings: Gold jumps as crude oil slides
In global commodities, gold prices surged sharply amid uncertainty before the US shutdown resolution. At one point yesterday, the price per ounce crossed $4,200, touching $4,210 before settling with a gain of $76 at $4,186. Gold prices in India are expected to rise in tandem with this international uptick. Crude oil prices, meanwhile, declined following assessments by OPEC+ and the International Energy Agency indicating that global oil demand is unlikely to see substantial increases in 2026. WTI crude fell 0.46 per cent to $58.22 per barrel, while Brent crude dropped 0.40 per cent to $62.46.
