US stocks close with slight gains as data keeps Fed cut expectations on track

In the wake of the 43-day government shutdown, market participants have been digesting delayed economic data as the backlog slowly dwindles, while also looking to secondary indicators to gauge the health of the economy. Delayed data from the Commerce Department showed consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity, rose 0.3% in September to match the estimate of economists polled by Reuters, after a downwardly revised 0.5% gain in August. In addition, the Personal Consumpti ...