How the Shutdown Has Cut Off Key Data Guiding the Fed: QuickTake

At a crucial moment for the US economy, Federal Reserve officials are preparing to decide whether to keep lowering interest rates or hold them steady — but they will have to do so with limited fresh data.

Several agencies that produce key economic data, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), have halted most operations due to the government shutdown. The consumer price index (CPI), originally due Oct. 15, was released on Oct. 24, while the government’s monthly jobs report and retail sales figures have been postponed indefinitely.

When Fed officials meet on ...