The Bush Wealth Advantage: How the government shutdown is impacting Americans and the markets

As the federal government shutdown continues into its sixth week, millions of Americans are feeling the effects of stalled operations and delayed services — from closed national parks to furloughed federal workers. But for investors, the key question remains: how does a government shutdown affect the markets and the economy? Why the Shutdown Happened The shutdown began at midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 1, when Congress failed to pass the spending bills required to fund the government for t