The U.S. economy will take a billion-dollar hit if the government shutdown continues until the weekend, experts have predicted as Donald Trump showed no sign of backing down. Some 25 per cent of the federal government is without funding after the U.S. Congress and the president failed to approve a new spending package. Standard & Poor’s, the credit rating firm, estimated the shutdown would shave US$1.2 billion off America’s gross domestic product [GDP] every week. The shutdown began at midnight on Friday and shows little sign of ending as the one-week mark approaches. The departments of Homeland Security, Justice and ... (full story)