Major indexes took a breather today, with all three -- four if counting the small cap Russell 2000 (RUT) -- marking modest losses. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 retreated from record highs hit early in the session, though the former held the psychologically-significant round number 23,000. The Dow slid 243 points for its worst single-session decline in nearly four weeks, as the U.S. government extended its shutdown for a ninth day, overshadowing continued Nvidia's (NVDA) continued AI efforts and wins.

COMMODITIES COOL OFF ON CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is adding pressure to black gold, sending crude lower for the session. November-dated West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $1.04, or 1.7%, to settle at $61.51 per barrel.

Gold briefly breached $4,000 in today's trading, as the ceasefire deal and a resurgent dollar weighed, sending safe haven investors to book profits. December-dated gold futures settled 1.6% lower at $4,006.40 per ounce.

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