A government shutdown is on the agenda in the US, effective midnight on September 30, if Congress and the White House fail to reach an agreement on the federal budget. That possibility puts the economy under new pressure eight months into President Donald Trump's second term. The Trump administration's tariffs imposed as part of its global trade war have driven up prices, while widespread public sector layoffs and mass deportations have squeezed the labor market. Now, a looming budget crisis could bring federal agencies to a standstill.