With the longest government shutdown in history now over, the flow of economic data has resumed.  Two key items of market interest are the September employment report and the August’s trade numbers. But they tell an uncertain story. especially when coupled with the Consumer Price Report (CPI) issued during the shutdown on 27 October. The employment report issued yesterday showed the labor market was largely on firm footing in September but that is now stale data, and newer private sector reports suggest a slowdown in job growth. Add to that continuing unemployment claims that came in 2.6 percent higher than before the shutdown.  On the bright side, September nonfarm payrolls came in 133 percent above the consensus expectatio...