Would a government shutdown hurt the economy? Experts explain

The federal government is hurtling toward a possible shutdown at a delicate moment for the nation's economy, as a hiring slowdown stokes recession fears and inflation proves difficult to fully contain. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell last week said policymakers face a "challenging situation" while they attempt to navigate the economy through a "turbulent period." A government shutdown typically risks only modest damage for the U.S. economy, stemming mainly from furloughed public workers, who temporarily lose out on pay and put a dent in U.S. consumer spending, analysts told ABC News. The impact of a shutdown could be more significant this time around, however, since the wobbly economy may strain under the weight of a potentially prolonged interruption, while a halt in the release of ke