Euro Stoxx 50 futures in the live futures market rose modestly as eurozone retail sales beat expectations, reinforcing investor appetite for cyclical stocks. Currency futures show euro strength, which could temper export-heavy equity gains but boost domestic sector valuations. Michael Clinton, who founded ROAR Forward, a business intelligence platform for people 50 and over, said he's helping older Americans pivot into writing, creative, and entrepreneurial roles late in life. He's deemed these people " Re-Imagineers ," a few of whom are in their 80s. Although Vice President JD Vance revealed at a White House press briefing Wednesday that the Trump administration will indeed "have to lay some people off if the shutdown continues," he added that no final decisions on the layoffs have been made. Vance also said that he doesn't believe the shutdown is "going to be that long," adding that there's "some evidence that moderate Democrats are cracking a little bit." Japan’s Nikkei futures climbed 0.7% in the live futures market as yen futures weakened, boosting export stock projections. This currency-equity dynamic remains a recurring theme in Asia-focused strategies.