Investors will have to wait until new year for clear data on US economy
Official figures delayed by government shutdown will provide little clarity on the outlook for interest rates
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US economic outlook obscured by shutdown-triggered data gap
The statistical blind spot could affect everything from interest rate cuts to investment decisions
Investors should look to the data, rather than the Fed, for guidance
Anyone making their own 2026 forecasts will need to employ more guesswork than usual
US retail sales growth slowed in September
Initial release of data had been postponed because of federal government shutdown
The US decoupling from the global gloom has limits
Total economic and financial insulation is an impossibility
Companies speed up debt raising plans amid market volatility
Corporates try to take advantage of market rebounds rather than risk further turbulence or US midterm elections
US stocks steady after global tech rout
Doubts over December interest rate cut from Federal Reserve exacerbate jitters about high valuations