Every year, the month of January slows down the speed of business in the US. But this time, the situation for business may deteriorate as the federal government shutdown would likely to make it worse. The good thing is that the shutdown would not last for a long period of time, hence it would be easy to regain the momentum soon after the shutdown comes to an end. According to reports, federal workers have been absent or working without pay since December 22. But still, there will be no issue for them in receiving a paycheck from the US government between Dec 28 and Jan 3. This paycheck will be smaller than as usual but the next one which is due on Jan 11 would only come if Donald Trump and Congress give their consent for it.

The economist, Stephen Fuller, head of the Stephen S. Fuller Institute at George Mason University told that it is not possible right now to tell how many people would get affected due to the shutdown. According to economists and marketing experts, the contractors and many industries would bear the brunt of this shutdown. And mostly, small businesses such as retailers inside federal buildings and food trucks that largely depend on the spending of federal workers and contractors.

Since the shutdown period always remains slow every year so it won’t get reflected in the economic indicators much. People restrict their spending post-Christmas so there will not be much loss due to the shutdown. Also, tourism during this phase of time also remains on the lower-side so this is not a significant subject to worry. As is the tradition every year, if the Trump government pays the paycheck to federal workers once the shutdown is over, then it will not affect the economy much.

“Because it’s the slowest time of the year, the side effects are considerably smaller just because the economy is in suspended animation at this point,” Fuller said. If the continues for over six month then it would affect everyone otherwise there is no such need to worry due to it.

As per the Baltimore Sun, Harford County’s Jacquelyn Smith was along with her family and driving her car on Saturday morning when they saw a woman with a sign board which read, “Please help me feed my baby.” The woman was holding a baby, the newspaper reported.

But the supposed good deed soon turned very deadly as a man walked up to her car and started to steal Smith’s wallet, police told. As the pair was struggling to steal it, the man started stabbing Smith before he could flee with the woman who was holding the baby and asked for money, police told.

Smith was taken to a nearby hospital but she couldn’t be saved, the Sun reported.

Baltimore police is still searching for the suspects. If you have any sort of information, you are urged to call 410-396-2100.