The US hitting a debt ceiling and having issues making payments is pretty much a recurring theme. There is often a resolution before it affects the markets. But if politicians in Washington get caught up over something, it can lead to government shutdowns. In turn, this uncertainty riles up the markets. The US is heading for a budget confrontation later in the month. It’s still too early for the markets to have noticed, and there is a potential it could be resolved before it affects them. However, given the changing landscape of the polls, and some recent developments, it might be worth having some advance warning ... (full story)