Wednesday Evening Links

[AP] Gold prices soar to new records amid US government shutdown

[CNBC] Stock futures are little changed as investors look past government shutdown: Live updates

[Axios] White House to begin firing federal workers within a "day or two"

[AP] Federal shutdown cuts off economic data vital to policymakers and investors

[AP] A prolonged US government shutdown could impact your travel plans

[AP] Macron says a tanker off France is linked to Russia’s shadow oil fleet

[Bloomberg] Chicago Fed President Says Lack of Data During Shutdown Is ‘Problematic’ For Central Bankers

[Bloomberg] Bessent’s Argentina Rescue Pledge Put to Test by Traders Attacking Peso

[Bloomberg] Largest US Grid Costs Rose $7.3 Billion Due to Data Centers

[Bloomberg] The Party That Ruled Japan for Decades Is in Danger of Crumbling

[NYT] White House Uses Shutdown to Maximize Pain and Punish Political Foes

[WSJ] White House, Lawmakers Float Ideas for Ending Government Shutdown

[WSJ] America’s Pharmacist in Chief

[WSJ] China Is Winning the Race for AI Robots

[FT] Argentine assets hit by fresh selling amid worries over US bailout