During the shutdown back in 2018/19, the jobs report and inflation report were both delayed by about two weeks. Meanwhile, the quarterly GDP report as well as retail sales and consumer activity data were delayed by about a month. So, what's with the discrepancy? Well, it depends on the timing and other issues stretching from collection, processing, and publication of the related data/surveys. However, a good estimate is that it can range from any time between a week to a month provided that funding is also restored.
In its contingency plan this time around, the Labor Department has made it clear that the BLS will not be publishing any data during the shutdown. It noted that: "BLS will suspend all operations. Economic data that are scheduled to be released during the lapse will not be released. All active data collection activities for BLS surveys will cease. The BLS website will not be updated with new content or restored in the event of a technical failure during a lapse."
Adding that data releases "will likely be delayed if a lapse is prolonged", with a warning about it potentially delaying the upcoming CPI report as well. That is currently scheduled for 15 October.
But for this week, it seems very much likely that we might get a delay to the non-farm payrolls data due on Friday.
However, as mentioned before that doesn't mean that the Fed will be flying completely blind ahead of its FOMC meeting at the end of the month. From earlier today:
