The fiscal cliff — a series of automatic tax hikes and federal spending cuts that are expected to hit in January 2013 — are already deterring economic growth with companies bracing for fiscal shocks next year, Bloomberg reports.

The article questions whether you can get hurt before hurling yourself off a cliff. The answer provided is ‘yes.’

The report cites the Philadelphia Fed as saying, “Many customers are delaying purchases due to uncertainty stemming from … fiscal policy. There are concerns about the impact of the fiscal decisions that will follow the election.”

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