020 7898 0500Donald Trump is the President of the United States. For some, it has still not sunk in but one thing is certainly clear: there is never a dull moment with him at the helm. Towards the end of last week there was another very brief US government shutdown which, while not unique to Trump, is only the second ever time it has ever happened when one party controls all three branches of government. The first ever time was three weeks ago.
To remedy the situation, Trump signed a sweeping budget bill that was approved by Congress. The bill proposes increased spending on defence and domestic services – around $300 billion. In total, the shutdown lasted five hours and Senator Rand Paul (who provoked the shutdown) was roundly criticised by Senators from both sides. Still, crisis averted for now.
It is a quiet start to the week in the US, but on Wednesday we will see the inflation rate and the retail sales for January. On Thursday we will see initial jobless claims and the industrial production figures. The week ends with building permits, housing starts and the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment.
