Why investors don’t need to play defense during the government shutdown — even if it lasts
1. Government shutdowns historically average eight days; S&P 500 remains flat during them. 2. Past shutdowns show minimal impact on market; gains are slightly more probable. 3. During longest shutdown, S&P 500 rose, led by financial and discretionary sectors. 4. Investors tend to not become overly defensive during shutdowns, history supports this. 5. S&P 500 briefly dropped but gained ground in subsequent trading.