U.S. job growth is likely to have picked up a touch in September, suggesting the economy enjoyed rising momentum before an acrimonious budget fight in Washington took some of the wind out of its sails. Non-farm payrolls are expected to have increased by 180,000 workers, a step up from August’s gain of 169,000, according to a Reuters survey of economists. The unemployment rate is seen having held steady at a near five-year low of 7.3 percent. The Labor Department releases its closely watched monthly employment report today, more than two weeks later than originally scheduled because of the partial shutdown of the federal government earlier this month. The data regularly sets the tone for global financial markets. Economists, however, said the shutdown has lessened its importance, with officials at the Federal Reserve likely to hold off any decision on scaling back the U.S. central bank’s bond buying until the extent of the economic damage from the budget fight is clearer. The September report may be the last clean gauge of the job market before most short-term effects or longer-run damage from the budget battles hit U.S. employers and households. Meanwhile, the US economy ‘drifts on’ as the Fed is likely to hold off on scaling back economic stimulus until next year.