Stocks Slammed On Lousy Layoffs Data, Losing The AI Race, & Lamenting The Govt Shutdown

Markets remain notably choppy with Goldman's trading desk noting weakness today on back of renewed AI Capex/ROI concerns (OpenAI government guarantee comments), mixed EPS (DASH, HOOD, QCOM, HUBS, DUOL), labor market softening (Challenger data on surging layoffs and Revelio showing no job additions), ongoing government shutdown (and the lack of liquidity flows as TGA grows). 

Big-Tech (Nasdaq) and Small Caps (Russell 2000) were the day's laggards with The Dow and S&P outperforming but all the majors were red, back near the lows of the day after dip-buyers were disappointed...