When Washington Goes Dark, the Economy Still Moves

Atlas Analytics’ Weekly Subscriber Update

When the government shuts down, so do many of the economic indicators investors depend on. The Bureau of Economic Analysis may halt GDP releases. The Census Bureau stops publishing trade and retail data. Even the Bureau of Labor Statistics can pause its monthly jobs report.

But the economy itself doesn’t stop. Goods still move through ports. Lights still flicker in factories. Planes still take off and land. And thanks to satellite imagery and private-sector data, we can still see it happening.

As Yahoo Finance noted earlier this month, “private economic data is set to take on an even bigger role” during the current shutdown. With Washington dark, hedge funds and institutional investors are turning to “data exhaust,” the countless digital traces generated by the modern economy, such as satellite imagery, freight movement, and energy usage, to keep their models alive.