Following the federal government shutdown, the highly anticipated Employment Report or jobs data, typically released on the first Friday of each month, simply did not arrive.
As expected, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Lynne Sladky) will not issue the eagerly awaited report, creating a significant blind spot for policymakers and investors already facing an uncertain economic landscape.
The Senate’s recess until Friday due to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur makes it impossible for the BLS, whose operations are suspended, to publish the report on the scheduled date.
The bureau’s monthly report is key to understanding the state of the U.S. economy and carries significant weight in the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decisions.
In addition to the Employment Report, other crucial data, such as weekly unemployment insurance claims, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), set to be released on October 15, and the Producer Price Index (PPI), scheduled for October 16, also face potential delays.
Historically, federal government shutdowns have caused similar delays in data releases. During the October 2013 shutdown, which lasted 16 days, the September 2013 employment report was delayed by approximately two weeks.
The federal government has been shut down since October 1 due to a lack of agreement in the Senate to pass a budget keeping the administration open.
Democrats and Republicans remain divided over healthcare spending in order to craft a new budget that would end the federal shutdown.
Meanwhile, the administration of President Donald Trump has threatened to expand federal employee layoffs during the shutdown if Democrats do not provide the seven votes needed for the Republican proposal to advance in the Senate.
Image: Opinion
