Catenaa, Wednesday, October 08, 2025-The US government shutdown could delay critical economic data, including the monthly jobs report, raising concerns for policymakers and investors attempting to gauge the labor market and broader economy.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which produces key employment and wage statistics, will suspend all operations if Congress and the president fail to extend federal funding by Tuesday midnight, according to a Department of Labor contingency plan.
Data collection for future reports would also halt, affecting inflation and GDP updates from agencies such as the Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Economists warn that missing or delayed data could complicate the Federal Reserve’s efforts to balance a weakening labor market against persistent inflation.
While the September jobs report and CPI data have largely been collected and could be released quickly after funding is restored, an extended shutdown could compromise the quality of future estimates, including labor force surveys.
Staffing shortages at the BLS further heighten the risk, with recent hiring freezes delaying data collection and analysis. Alternative private-sector data sources such as ADP and Indeed may provide partial insights, but experts stress these cannot replace official statistics.
Analysts note that past shutdowns, including the 2013 and Trump-era closures, disrupted jobs and GDP reporting, highlighting the potential economic uncertainty if the government remains unfunded.
