The U.S. government shutdown has delayed the release of vital retail sales data, expected to shed light on consumer spending habits in September. The ‘scary’ data will be revealed at 9:30 PM UTC+8 on Tuesday after being postponed for over a month. This delay comes as analysts anticipate a slight slowdown in consumer spending following months of inflationary pressure. Furthermore, recent hiring cutbacks amid the partial shutdown may indicate consumers have reached their spending limits. Experts predict a 0.4% increase in September retail sales, after a 0.6% rise in August. While some economists see potential for improvement based on slightly improved labor market conditions, challenges remain with the government shutdown’s impact on hiring and consumer confidence. This suggests that the Federal Reserve may consider lowering interest rates later this year to bolster a fragile economic recovery.