U.S. Government Faces Shutdown Crisis Again
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 8h ago
0mins
Source: Benzinga
- Budget Stalemate Intensifies: The U.S. Congress must pass funding legislation by January 30, 2026, or parts of the federal government will partially shut down, with the current impasse primarily centered on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, affecting a wide range of services.
- Democrats withhold support: Senate Democrats have refused to provide the necessary votes for a $64.4 billion DHS bill, urging Republicans to strip it from a broader funding package, which could lead to funding interruptions in defense, education, and other sectors.
- Market Sentiment Shift: According to Polymarket, the probability of a government shutdown has surged from 9% last week to 79%, reflecting growing market concerns over the political deadlock, which may impact investor confidence significantly.
- Historical Context: During the last shutdown from October to November 2025, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust edged up 0.5%, yet major stocks like Oracle and Meta faced steep declines, indicating the potential negative impact of shutdowns on market performance.
Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for META is 824.71 USD with a low forecast of 655.15 USD and a high forecast of 1117 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 672.360
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 672.360
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
About META
Meta Platforms, Inc. is building human connections, powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. The Company's products enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets, augmented reality (AR), and wearables. It also helps people discover and learn about what is going on in the world around them, enabling people to share their experiences, ideas, photos, videos, and other content with audiences ranging from their closest family members and friends to the public at large. The Company's segments include Family of Apps (FoA) and Reality Labs (RL). FoA segment includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads. RL segment includes its virtual, augmented, and mixed reality related consumer hardware, software and content. Its product offerings in VR include its Meta Quest devices, as well as software and content available through the Meta Horizon Store.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
