The US government may be facing its first shutdown since the winter of 2018-19.

Traders are cautiously awaiting Thursday's initial jobless claims data and Friday's PCE inflation data, while also closely watching for thorny developments that could trigger a US government shutdown. US President Trump canceled crucial talks with Senate Minority Leader Schumer and House Minority Leader Jeffries, which had been expected to avert a government shutdown before the September 30 deadline. Deutsche Bank analyst Jim Reid wrote in a note to clients Wednesday morning: "The cancellation of the meeting has sparked renewed concerns that funds could run out by next week's deadline, potentially leading to the first government shutdown since the winter of 2018-19." (Jinshi)