US stocks close higher as data keeps Fed rate cut expectations elevated

The record-long 43-day U.S. government shutdown kept investors in the dark about official data and hampered the ability to gauge the Fed's likely path on interest rates. But the backlog is now being cleared along with data from non-governmental sources. The Institute for Supply Management said U.S. services activity was little changed in November at 52.6 versus 52.4 in October while the prices paid component dipped but remained elevated. The reading comes ahead of the delayed personal consumption expenditu ...