The White House warned Wednesday that the federal statistical system could be "permanently damaged" in the fallout over the government shutdown.
The October jobs and inflation data might not be released at all — a major concern for Wall Street as the shutdown dragged more than 40 days, CNBC reports.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a news briefing that although the longest stalemate in U.S. government history is nearing an end, it is doubtful that the data will be available.
“The Democrats may have permanently damaged the Federal Statistical system with October CPI and jobs reports likely never being released,” Leavitt said. “All of that economic data released will be permanently impaired, leaving our policymakers at the Fed, flying blind at a critical period.”
The data release from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics focuses on monthly nonfarm payroll count and the consumer price index. The delay also pushes back data on U.S. retail sales, imports and exports, consumer spending and income.