Trump Admin BLOCKS October Inflation Report After Shutdown Wipes Out Data
The Trump administration will not release the October inflation report, marking the first time in modern history that the federal government has skipped a monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) release. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the recent government shutdown prevented officials from collecting the price and household-survey data needed to produce the report.
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According to Reuters, BLS confirmed it could not “retroactively collect” the missing data once the shutdown ended, making it impossible to compile an official CPI for October. The same data gap also affects the monthly jobs report, leaving policymakers and financial markets without two of the country’s most critical economic benchmarks.
Economists warn the missing report creates a significant blind spot for the Federal Reserve as it evaluates the strength of the economy heading into winter. The White House previously acknowledged the shutdown likely “permanently impaired” October’s economic data.
Some limited categories may later be estimated using nonsurvey sources, but BLS says no full October CPI will ever be published.