This shutdown could have outsize effects on areas of the economy that depend on government functions.
Unanswered questions about President Donald Trump’s tariffs risk compounding any damage — particularly as the administration lays the groundwork to fire more government employees.
One example: Farmers already grappling with decreased exports could lose access to the agricultural infrastructure that provides key resources like farm loans, leading the White House to reportedly explore possible solutions.
And a likely delay in Friday’s release of monthly employment data risks muddying the outlook further: “A lot of actors in the economy rely on the jobs report for timely economic data, not the least of which is the Fed,” the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Shai Akabas told Semafor. “Having that timely piece of data is important.”