What are the most important events and topics in the news today?

I'll gather today's most important headlines for you — checking the latest news for October 15.

Most important events and topics in the news for today - Thursday, October 15, 2026:

1. U.S. - Government Shutdown Reaches Critical October 15 Deadline

The U.S. government shutdown is dominating domestic headlines as it enters its second week:

•Republicans and Democrats faced another looming deadline as the shutdown entered its sixth day on Monday: payday for active-duty military service members.

•If not resolved, 1.3 million active-duty military, hundreds of thousands of National Guard and civilian Defense workers risks missing pay.

•President Donald Trump said Saturday that America's 1.3 million military service members will get paid on Oct. 15 despite a congressional budget lapse that led to a partial government shutdown.

•Prediction markets and institutions forecast the shutdown will last at least 10 days, with a critical milestone on October 15, with a 60-68% probability of extending beyond October 15.

•Fallout includes outage of economic data during the shutdown and risk to the October 15 Social Security COLA announcement based on September CPI, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics is furloughed.

2. U.S. Economy & Markets - Hot Inflation and Fed Policy

•Inflation sizzled in September — and Social Security benefits will get a boost

•Markets started the day on the back foot as trading kicked off in Asia on Thursday, as a quicker-than-expected increase in US consumer price inflation upped expectations for the Federal Reserve to act

•MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.2%, led by a 5.6% plunge in South Korea's KOSPI, while the Nikkei 225 fell 1.3%

•Overnight on Wall Street, stocks logged their third day of declines - S&P 500 fell 1.1%, Nasdaq tumbled 1.9% and semiconductor stocks extended losses into a sixth day

•The CPI data lifted expectations of interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve, possibly as soon as later this month. Fed funds futures pricing 31.6% probability of a 25-basis-point hike at the Fed's next meeting on October 28

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell offered dovish signals helping to calm markets:

•Edgier world markets appeared to bat away the latest exchanges in the U.S.-China trade war, helped by dovish soundings from the Federal Reserve boss that included signals about an imminent end to its balance sheet rundown

•As gold spiraled on to new highs, U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar fell after Fed Chair Jerome Powell fretted about a softening labor market and said the central bank may soon halt the reduction of bonds held on its balance sheet - a process known as quantitative tightening

•Powell said "We may approach that point in coming months"

•Markets now leaning toward two quarter-point reductions by December, with spot gold above $4,200 for the first time

Bank earnings in focus today:

•Mostly upbeat Q3 results - Wells Fargo rallied, Citigroup's profit rose on record revenue, and BlackRock's AUM hit a record even as JPMorgan and Goldman dipped on profit-taking.

3. U.S. Trade Policy - Tariffs Raised to 15%

•President Donald Trump said he will raise the baseline U.S. tariff rate on imported goods from 10% to 15% -- "effective immediately" -- following what he described as an unfavorable Supreme Court decision related to his trade policies

•Also: President Trump announced Saturday he is increasing new global tariffs from 10% to 15%

4. U.S. - China Trade War Escalates

•U.S. and China on Tuesday began charging additional port fees on ocean shipping firms that move everything from holiday toys to crude oil, making the high seas a key front in the trade war

•President Donald Trump saying he was considering terminating some trade ties with China - singling out cooking oil as one

Global outlook:

•International Monetary Fund nudged up its world economic outlook for 2026 but warned that renewed U.S.-China tariff escalation could materially slow output

•Deflationary pressures persisted in China, with both consumer and producer prices falling in September

5. Geopolitics & World News

•Black Sea Security: Bulgaria says Russia was likely behind Black Sea drone strikes as rescue operations continue- 11 sailors missing after drone strike sinks merchant vessel near Bulgarian waters. Bulgaria summons Russian ambassador.

•Spain-Morocco: In first visit to Ceuta, Spain's king asks for 'good faith' from Morocco after migration crisis

•Turkey Press Freedom: Turkish police raid opposition TV station, halting live broadcasts - warnings of crackdown as government takes over top news channel.

•Kenya Health: Kenya confirms second Ebola case a relative of the first victim

•Middle East: Ex-Israeli spy chief sues Netanyahu over October 7

•Europe:

•Letting Ukraine into EU would be economic suicide – Le Pen

•UK and US impose sanctions on alleged Cambodian 'cyber-scam' network

•Europe risks becoming mere tourist attraction – Polish FM, and Poland considers reinstating conscription

•French stocks and bonds advanced on Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu's decision to delay pension reforms until after the 2027 election

6. Asia - India

•Cabinet clears country's biggest financial-sector FDI: The Union Cabinet approved Fairfax's ₹52,878 crore deal for IDBI Bank, which will reduce the government's stake to 15% and LIC's to 19%

•Jio Platforms IPO: Issue opens on October 21, anchor bidding on October 19 - while other IPOs including Bonfiglioli Transmissions and Sahajanand Medical open October 15

•Other headlines for October 15 assembly include Kashmir School Timings, UPI Update

7. Other Markets & Technology

•AI trades crumbling: "AI was again the main challenge … with financing risks and IPO timelines still at the centre of the story" as higher rates pummelled Oracle, CoreWeave and AI stocks

•Global sales of fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles rose 26% in September to a record 2.1 million units, driven by China (1.3 million) and U.S. tax-credit rush

•Crypto in focus: XRP ETFs recorded zero net flow on 9, 12 and 13 October, with net assets of $1.56 billion, as patched vulnerability in focus, and Bitcoin sentiment neutral to cautious Oct 15

Citations (3)

1reuters.comNews and mediaquality 1.00
Morning Bid: Fed balm soothes trade war jabs
Backs: “Prediction markets and institutions forecast the shutdown will last at least 10 days, with a critical milestone on October 15, with a 60-68% probability of extending beyond October 15.”
2mix929.comNot yet classified
Asian markets sell off as AI trades crumble after hot US CPI data
Backs: “Economy & Markets - Hot Inflation and Fed Policy. Inflation sizzled in September — and Social Security benefits will get a boost. Markets started the day on the back foot as trading kicked off in Asia on Thursday, as a quicker-than-expected increase in US consumer price inflation upped expectations for the Federal…”
3allbanglanewspaper.orgNot yet classified
RT Latest News Headlines
Backs: “Turkey Press Freedom: Turkish police raid opposition TV station, halting live broadcasts - warnings of crackdown as government takes over top news channel. Kenya Health: Kenya confirms second Ebola case a relative of the first victim”