Key Takeaways
- The U.S. federal government shutdown has entered its 37th day, marking the longest in the nation's history, as Senate Democrats debate a potential deal to reopen agencies amidst political pressure and recent election victories.
- Global shipping giant A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S (MAERSKB) has raised the lower end of its full-year profit outlook for 2025, driven by a robust 7% increase in third-quarter container volumes, primarily from surging Chinese exports.
- India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman confirmed that trade deal negotiations with both the United States and the European Union are progressing rapidly and are expected to conclude soon, with an ambitious target to more than double bilateral trade with the US to $500 billion by 2030.
The United States is grappling with a protracted government shutdown, now in its 37th day, making it the longest in U.S. history. This stalemate, which began on October 1, 2025, stems from Congress's failure to pass appropriations legislation for the 2026 fiscal year. Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked Republican-controlled House measures, demanding an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that are set to expire at year-end.
Recent Democratic gubernatorial victories in Virginia and New Jersey, which President Donald Trump attributed partly to voter dissatisfaction with the shutdown, have emboldened some Democrats to hold out for a more favorable deal. However, moderate Senate Democrats are reportedly considering a bipartisan agreement that would fund some agencies with full-year bills and others with a short-term measure, in exchange for a vote on extending the ACA subsidies. The shutdown has led to significant impacts, including potential flight cancellations due to air traffic controller shortages and uncertainty regarding November pay for approximately 37,000 U.S. soldiers stationed in Germany.
In global trade news, Danish shipping behemoth A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S (MAERSKB) has revised its 2025 full-year profit forecast upwards, reflecting stronger-than-anticipated global container demand. The company now expects underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) to be between $9 billion and $9.5 billion, up from a previous range of $8 billion to $9.5 billion. This optimistic outlook is largely fueled by a 7% increase in third-quarter freight volumes, with exports from East Asia, particularly China, identified as the primary driver of growth. Despite a 31% drop in average freight rates and ongoing disruptions in global shipping routes like the Red Sea, Maersk noted the resilience in global trade, projecting overall container market expansion of around 4% in 2025. However, volumes into North America, especially from China to the U.S., have contracted.
Meanwhile, India is making significant strides in its international trade agenda. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that negotiations for bilateral trade agreements with both the United States and the European Union are progressing "intensely" and are expected to conclude shortly. These discussions aim to substantially boost India's export economy, with the proposed pact with the U.S. targeting to more than double bilateral trade from the current $191 billion to $500 billion by 2030. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has also confirmed ongoing, continuous discussions with the U.S., acknowledging that while talks are going well, "many sensitive issues" remain. Separately, a senior team of EU negotiators is currently in New Delhi from November 3-7, 2025, for the 15th round of discussions on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with both sides committed to concluding a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement by the end of the year.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.