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America's key stock index - the Dow Jones Industrial Average - climbed more than 1000 points on Wednesday, marking its biggest single-day points gain in history. But when the US markets opened on Thursday, stocks fell steeply.

The large market swings come amidst continuing uncertainty over when the US government will be fully functional again. Almost 400,000 federal workers have been off work since the shutdown began last weekend.

Our regular commentator Irwin Stelzer from the Hudson Institute in Washington explained what is behind the theatrics of the stock market.

(Image: A trader at the NYSE. Credit: Getty Images)