Analysts: Missing U.S. economic data could affect Federal Reserve's interest rate cut plan

The US government shutdown is over, but for investors, the hangover is emerging as a lack of economic data threatens to delay the Federal Reserve's plans to cut interest rates. The Nasdaq index suffered its worst sell-off in a month after its biggest weekly decline since April, falling about 5 per cent from its October peak. Fed chairperson Jerome Powell said policymakers could "slow down" their response. Bob Savage at Bank of New York Mellon said the Fed and markets were "acting blindly", noting that "dot plots" could be more closely watched than rate decisions.