Moody's: US economic data will be released intensively, and any deviation from expectations may raise questions about the credibility of the Federal Reserve's policy

After a record-breaking shutdown, the US government is back in business, signalling the release of key indicators of the health and trajectory of the US economy. "It's been like flying blind in a fog," lamented Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. "We've completely lost our navigation tools." Private sector data has prepared people for what official data might tell us, Mr. Zandi said, but if the actual data does not match expectations, the market could wobble violently. "If the official data is in line with expectations, then everyone is happy," he said. "But if the data released - for better or worse - deviates from our expectations, it could raise questions about the effectiveness of Fed policy during the shutdown." (Jin Ten)