The Fed cut interest rates slightly on Wednesday to steady the economy amid a weakening job market, as a long government shutdown has clouded its view of the economy.

Concerns about a weakening labor market may outweigh worries about rising inflation, tipping the Fed toward another rate cut, economists say.

Stocks and bonds initially rallied after the central bank cut interest rates on Sept. 17, but began giving up those gains before Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell started his post-meeting press conference.

The Japanese yen tumbled against the U. dollar on Thursday after the Bank of Japan adopted a less hawkish tone than traders expected, while the greenback was boosted after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday said a rate cut in December was not guaranteed.

The U.S. central bank is widely expected to cut interest rates for the second meeting in a row even though the government shutdown is obscuring officials’ view of the economy.