White House: October Non-Farm Payrolls and Inflation Data May Never Be Released

BlockBeats News, November 13, White House Press Secretary Levitt stated that due to the government shutdown, key economic reports for October may not be released at all. Levitt said: "Democrats may have permanently damaged the federal statistical system, and October's CPI and (nonfarm) employment reports are unlikely to ever be released. The release of all this economic data will be permanently impaired, leaving Federal Reserve policymakers flying blind at a critical time."

With the government shutdown now exceeding six weeks, setting a new record for the longest shutdown in history, Wall Street has been concerned about the issue of releasing important economic data. Other affected data include retail sales, import and export data, as well as consumer spending and income. Most economists had previously expected all data to eventually be released, albeit with some delays. However, Levitt's remarks cast a shadow over this expectation. She added that the shutdown could result in a decrease in fourth-quarter economic growth of up to 2 percentage points. (CNBC)