FX.co ★ Shutdown Threatens U.S. Jobs Report, Key Data

The U.S. Departments of Labor and Commerce cautioned on Monday that a partial government shutdown would disrupt the dissemination of crucial economic data, according to a Reuters report. This interruption would affect the release of the September employment report, a key factor in Federal Reserve policy-making, as well as the August figures for construction spending and international trade. Unless Congress secures a last-minute agreement, funding is set to lapse at midnight on Tuesday. Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis would suspend most activities, the BLS will proceed with publishing the August Metropolitan Area Employment report on Wednesday. The Census Bureau's scheduled reports on construction and manufacturing data for this week would be postponed. An extended shutdown might also delay the publication of the October 7 trade report and the October 30 gross domestic product (GDP) estimate. The BLS further cautioned that ongoing delays could impact additional data releases in the future.