Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said weak job data and rising inflation make it hard to predict the economy|@federalreserve|X

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will not release September’s employment report on Friday, which it usually does every month, due to the ongoing government shutdown. 

Over 2,000 BLS employees remain furloughed, leaving policymakers and businesses without critical labor market data.

The delay comes as the unemployment rate has risen to 4.3% in August, and private payrolls unexpectedly fell by 32,000 jobs in September, according to ADP. Economists had expected a gain of 45,000 jobs.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has warned that weak labor market signals combined with creeping inflation make economic forecasting unusually difficult. 

Without the BLS report, the Fed must rely on alternative indicators to decide on interest rates.

If the shutdown continues past mid-October, inflation and other economic reports could also be delayed, increasing uncertainty for policymakers and markets alike.