1. Dow set to advance on new hope for at least a partial China trade deal

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange October 18, 2006 in New York City as the Dow Jones Industrial Average passed the 12,000 mark today for the first time in its 110-year history. Mario Tama | Getty Images

2. China tells US to back off ahead of this week's high-level trade talks in Washington

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He (R) with United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (2nd L) and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin (L) before the start of talks at the Xijiao Conference Center in Shanghai on July 31, 2019. Ng Han Guan | AFP | Getty Images

Ahead of the resumption of high-level U.S.-China trade talk in Washington on Thursday, Beijing "strongly urges" the U.S. to stay clear of the country's domestic issues, after the White House blacklisted a slew of Chinese companies due to alleged human rights violations against Muslim minorities in China's far-western region of Xinjiang. The Trump administration on Tuesday put visa restrictions on Chinese officials "who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the detention and abuse" of Muslim minority groups.

3. Texas Republican Ted Cruz: NBA should not be used as an 'arm of Chinese censorship'

Men walk past a poster at an NBA exhibition in Beijing, China October 8, 2019. Jason Lee | Reuters

Sen. Ted Cruz told CNBC on Wednesday that the NBA should not bow to pressure from China in the fallout over the Houston Rockets general manager's pro-Hong Kong protests tweet. The condemnation in China over Daryl Morey's now-deleted Friday tweet was swift, as Chinese partners with the NBA cut or suspended ties with the league. The NBA should not be an "arm of Chinese censorship" by being too apologetic, said Cruz. NBA commissioner Adam Silver arrives in Shanghai on Wednesday, after saying Tuesday that he supports Morey's right to free speech while expressing regret that Chinese partners were offended.

4. White House refuses to cooperate with Trump impeachment inquiry by House Democrats

President Donald Trump speaks about Turkey and Syria during a formal signing ceremony for the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement at the White House in Washington, October 7, 2019. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

The White House has officially said it won't cooperate with House Democrats' impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, claiming the proceedings amount to "baseless, unconstitutional efforts to overturn the democratic process." Trump lawyers cite House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's failure to call for a full House vote to proceed with the inquiry, which focuses on Trump asking Ukraine's leader on a July 25 phone call to investigate the family of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Courts have been historically hesitant to step in as referee for congressional oversight and impeachment.

5. Sanders looks to slow down his 2020 presidential campaign after heart attack

Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at a campaign stop in Hooksett, New Hampshire, September 30, 2019. Brian Snyder | Reuters

Bernie Sanders began reintroducing himself in the 2020 presidential race, venturing outside his Vermont home Tuesday to say that he does not plan on halting his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination following last week's heart attack. However, he said he's going to slow down. "I think we're going to change the nature of the campaign a bit," said the Vermont senator. "I'll make sure that I have the strength to do what I have to do." The Sanders campaign told CNBC last week the candidate plans to attend the next Democratic presidential debate next week in Ohio.