Wall St falls as labor data spurs rate hike jitters before debt ceiling vote

U.S. stocks closed down on Wednesday as a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling headed for a crucial vote in Congress, while unexpectedly strong labor market data rattled investors who fear the Federal Reserve might hike interest rates again in June.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote in the evening on a bill to lift the $31.4 trillion debt limit, a critical step to avoid a destabilizing default that could come early next week without congressional approval.

House passage would send the bill to the Senate, where debate could stretch to the weekend, just before the June 5 date when the government could start to run out of money.

But most analysts foresee the bill’s approval and U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he expected the debt ceiling bill on his desk by next Monday.

“The bond market liked that there was some fiscal discipline and the equity market liked that it’s not going to hurt growth,” said Brad Conger, deputy chief investment officer at Hirtle Callaghan & Co in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

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