PROLONGED U.S. SHUTDOWN THREATENS GROWTH AS FED MEETS The Federal Reserve meets this week to decide rates as the second-longest U.S. government shutdown clouds the economic outlook. With hundreds of thousands furloughed since early October, economists warn the shutdown could cause lasting GDP damage — JPMorgan estimates each week cuts growth by 0.1%. Fed officials say a brief shutdown would dent Q4 GDP but be offset in Q1, while a longer one could deepen the drag and delay recovery. Analysts also caution that missing data raises the risk of policy missteps, forcing greater reliance on private indicators.(*Walter Bloomberg)