Use these 4 private indicators to monitor the economy as the government shutdown stretches on

The significance: The health of the consumer is a key input for Fed decision-making when it comes to rate cuts, especially with inflation a lingering worry.Here are four private economic-data releases investors should be watching this week, in order to paint the most accurate possible picture of health:For that reason alone, investors should still be keeping an eye on the economy — especially the labor market, which has been highlighted by Fed Chair Jerome Powell as a particular area of weakness .But that's ...