* Midnight approaches
Unless Republicans and Democrats reach an agreement to at least temporarily fund federal agencies in the next few hours, the U.S. government would enter its 15th shutdown since 1981.
In a salvo ahead of the deadline, President Donald Trump warned congressional Democrats that allowing the federal government to shut down would let his administration take "irreversible" actions including closing programs important to them.
The government last shut down for over 30 days in 2018 and 2019, during Trump's first term.
* More Trump tariff tumult
While tariffs have receded as the main factor driving markets, Trump demonstrated this week that he continues to favor the levies as a key policy tool.
The Republican president started the week saying he would impose a 100% tariff on all films produced overseas that are then sent into the U.S., signaling his willingness to extend protectionist trade policies into cultural industries. Then late last night, the White House said Trump signed a proclamation to set a 10% tariff rate on imports of lumber and 25% on vanities, kitchen cabinets and upholstered wooden products.
Tariffs also appeared to be a key lever Trump used in securing an agreement from Pfizer to lower drug prices. Trump said on Tuesday that the drugmaker will cut the price of all prescription drugs in the Medicaid program for low-income Americans and sell new medicines at a "most-favored-nation" price, in exchange for tariff relief.
* "Buy gold" not getting old
A day after topping $3,800 an ounce for the first time, gold prices hit another record high on Tuesday. The yellow metal climbed over 11% in September alone, pushing its year-to-date ascent to about 47%.
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