Although the U.S. government shutdown continued through last week, it was a period with little economic data scheduled to be released anyway, so there wasn’t much to be missed.

Economic data included an improvement in the ISM manufacturing report, although it stayed in contraction, while ISM services fell to neutral.

Economic data include the Federal Reserve reducing policy short-term interest rates by a quarter-percent, as expected.

At the September meeting, the U.S. Federal Reserve Open Market Committee voted to reduce the Fed funds rate by -0.25% to a range of 4.00-4.25%.

On a holiday-shortened week, economic data included stronger ISM services and manufacturing PMI surveys, while the August employment situation report came in again weaker than expected.

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