Risk of Federal government shutdown can't be dismissed

Congress is about to enter the critical stage of negotiations to extend the Federal government's spending authority, which will otherwise expire when the new fiscal year begins on 1st October, and, in addition, to raise the debt ceiling before the Treasury runs out of money sometime in mid-October. The most likely outcome is that, after a short period of uncertainty that could roil financial markets, a bare bones settlement will be concluded, albeit not until the very last minute as usual.