BLS cancels October jobs report due to government shutdown

Zoom in: The agency's closure during the record-long shutdown prevented officials from collecting all of the key data needed during the month.

• It comes at a vulnerable moment for the economy, when data like the unemployment rate, which is based on surveying American households, can be particularly affected.

Yes, but: The BLS said it will release the November jobs report on Tuesday, Dec. 16 — 11 days later than planned. That report will include payroll employment data for October, the key indicator of job growth.

• However, the household survey — on which the unemployment rate, labor force participation and similar measures are based — was not conducted during the shutdown, and therefore no October readings will be published.
• "The household survey is not able to be retroactively collected," BLS said on its website.

Of note: The Federal Reserve's policy committee will meet Dec. 9-10 and appears divided on whether to cut interest rates for the third time this year.

• With the delayed data release, it will not have the official October and November payrolls data in hand as it makes that call.

What's next: Thursday morning, the agency will release September jobs data that was collected before the shutdown.

• Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expect the report will show 55,000 jobs added that month and the unemployment rate unchanged at 4.3%.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.