Economics
Federal Shutdown Seen as Blip, Not Bust, for Robust U.S. Economy
- Some data releases may be delayed if federal closure is long
- Short disruptions unlikely to derail Fed’s tightening plans
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The U.S. government shutdown may slow the nation’s economy a little bit, but economists largely agree there won’t be serious harm as long as the political stalemate ends soon.
Heading into its first business day, the idling of all but essential federal workers and some services comes amid a tight labor market, a soaring stock market and possibly the strongest three quarters of growth in more than a decade. The disruptions shouldn’t cloud the picture too much for Federal Reserve officials who are trying to gauge whether to continue raising interest rates.