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United States: Shutdown halts release of key jobs report

Yesterday 14:40
United States: Shutdown halts release of key jobs report
By: Sahili Aya
Zoom

The monthly U.S. jobs report, considered one of the most important economic indicators worldwide, was not published on Friday due to the ongoing government shutdown. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website, usually updated at 8:30 a.m. (12:30 GMT), displayed a message citing the suspension of federal services.

The shutdown, which began Wednesday, has forced parts of the federal administration to stop operating, including the BLS, whose staff are now on furlough. This interruption comes at a sensitive moment: President Donald Trump dismissed the head of the BLS in August after accusing her—without evidence—of manipulating figures that reflected a slowdown in the labor market.

Analysts had expected September data to show a stable unemployment rate of 4.3% and modest job creation of around 50,000 positions. The absence of the report now leaves economists and markets without a crucial measure of the state of the U.S. economy.



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