Odds on avoiding a government shutdown improve as White House backs away on demand to fund The Wall.

Odds on avoiding a government shutdown improve as White House backs away on demand to fund The Wall.

Last night President Donald Trump backed off his demand that any deal to fund the federal government include money to start construction on The Wall. At an event with conservative journalists, Trump said he’s okay waiting until September to have this fight. Which would seem to indicate that the President would sign a funding bill that doesn’t include money for The Wall.

Hello! The real economy comes calling on Friday

Hello! The real economy comes calling on Friday

Amidst all the guessing about what Congress and the President will do this week to head off a possible government shutdown when spending authorization ends on April 28, we should remember that we get important data from the real economy on Friday, April 28 as well. At morning we get the initial estimate for first quarter GDP growth. Everyone believes that growth will be weak in the quarter. The question is “How weak?”