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Traders in prediction markets now estimate that the U.S. federal government shutdown could last more than a week and potentially extend into mid-October. These projections suggest that Washington’s political environment has reached a deadlock, making a swift agreement in Congress increasingly unlikely.
The shutdown began early Wednesday morning after Democrats and Republicans—along with President Donald Trump—failed to reach a compromise on a temporary funding bill. As a result, hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been placed on unpaid leave, and numerous government programs and public services have been suspended.
According to data from Bank of America, since 1990, U.S. government shutdowns have lasted an average of 14 days. Although the S&P 500 has typically risen about 1% during such periods, an extended impasse could weigh heavily on an already fragile economy and markets near record highs.
The credit rating agency Fitch stated that the current shutdown will not have a direct impact on the United States’ credit rating, which remains at AA+ with a stable outlook. However, the agency noted that repeated reliance on short-term funding resolutions reflects persistent weaknesses in U.S. fiscal governance. Still, Fitch expects the U.S. dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency to remain intact in the near future.
Fitch also added that a short-lived shutdown is unlikely to affect most public-finance credits, though a prolonged one could pose negative risks for bond issuers—particularly those dependent on federal funding in areas such as healthcare, housing, and higher education.
Meanwhile, UBS argued that concerns over the U.S. government shutdown have been overstated, predicting that its economic impact will be limited and short-lived. The bank advised investors to look beyond political noise and instead focus on Federal Reserve rate cuts, corporate earnings, and opportunities in artificial intelligence.
Economists at Citi expect the Federal Reserve to implement two 25-basis-point rate cuts in October and December, in line with its Dot Plot projections. However, the shutdown could delay access to key labor and inflation data, forcing investors to rely more heavily on private sources such as ADP reports.
Similarly, Bank of America forecasts a rate cut in October but notes that markets have already priced in this outcome, assigning a 95% probability for October and 85% for December. In essence, this projection merely aligns with the consensus that has already formed among traders.
In actual market developments, expectations have shifted back toward easing policies. Over the past two weeks, the hawkish pressure that had supported the dollar has eased, and markets are once again pricing in a lower-rate trajectory. Currently, about 105 basis points of rate cuts are priced in for next year, compared with a previous low of 94 basis points—a shift that favors equities while weighing on the dollar.
According to Daniel Pavilonis, senior commodities broker at RJO Futures, the government shutdown will not significantly impair the Fed’s ability to assess labor market conditions. “The Fed relies more on its proprietary datasets than on official government statistics,” he explained. “Even amid a shutdown, policymakers maintain a fairly accurate picture of the economy.”
After a week dominated by employment data—some released and others delayed due to the shutdown—the upcoming week is expected to be relatively quiet for official U.S. economic releases unless a resolution is reached.Instead, market attention will pivot toward remarks from Federal Reserve officials.
On Wednesday, the minutes of the September FOMC meeting will be released, offering deeper insight into policymakers’ views on the rate path and inflation risks. Then, on Friday, the University of Michigan’s preliminary Consumer Sentiment Index for October will shed light on household perceptions of the economy and their financial conditions—a key gauge for domestic demand strength.
In addition, investors will closely monitor speeches from several Fed officials, including Bostic, Bowman, Miran, Kashkari, Barr, and Musalem. Their comments could directly influence market expectations for monetary policy and shape trading sentiment in the days ahead.
