The recent federal government shutdown disrupted the release of key economic indicators, leaving statistical agencies behind schedule. Although some reports have been rescheduled or merged, others remain pending, with updated timelines still being finalized for data covering September through November.
The shutdown, which lasted 43 days, halted operations at major federal bureaus responsible for tracking inflation, employment, and overall economic performance. Since reopening three weeks ago, agencies such as the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics have been working to recover lost ground.
Upcoming revised release dates include:
December 3: Industrial production and capacity utilization figures for September (originally set for October 17)
December 5: The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, along with personal income and spending data for September (initially due October 31)
December 9: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) reports for both September and October (originally scheduled for November 4 and December 2)
December 10: Employment cost index for the third quarter (previously planned for October 31)
December 16: The November U.S. employment report, including payroll data for October (originally slated for November 7 and December 5; the October household survey has been canceled)
December 18: Consumer Price Index (CPI) for November, incorporating partial data from October (originally due November 13 and December 10)
December 23: Initial estimate of third-quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP), replacing the canceled advance report from October 30. Additionally, the Bureau of Economic Analysis will delay a subsequent GDP reading previously set for December 19.
Also on December 23: Industrial production and capacity utilization data for both October and November (originally scheduled for November 18 and December 16)
Several reports still lack new publication dates, including:
September housing starts (initially due October 17; October and November reports also not yet scheduled)
September new home sales (originally due October 24; later months also pending)
September preliminary data on trade deficit, wholesale inventories, and retail inventories (originally due October 29; subsequent months not yet set)
September U.S. trade deficit (initially scheduled for November 4; later reports not yet confirmed)
September business inventories (originally expected in November; October data also not yet scheduled)
October retail sales (originally due in November; November report also not yet scheduled)
October PCE price index, personal incomes, and outlays (originally due November 26; November data also not yet confirmed)
Delayed statistics can obscure the current economic picture, affecting assessments of inflation, labor trends, and growth trajectories. These gaps complicate decision-making for investors, corporate leaders, and government officials. Clarity on revised release schedules helps stakeholders anticipate and interpret upcoming data that may influence financial markets.
— News Original —
These are the Economic Reports We’re Still Waiting On After the Shutdown
Key Takeaways
The federal government shutdown froze economic data releases, and agencies are still working to catch up.
While a handful of reports have been rescheduled, some have also been consolidated or canceled. Other new release dates are still expected for several key reports for September, October and November.
The government shutdown ended three weeks ago and statistical agencies are working to catch up on economic releases they missed.
After being closed for 43 days, the federal bureaus that track inflation, employment, and economic growth are behind schedule on several reports, but they are beginning to catch up.
This week, we’ll see inflation data for September, which was initially scheduled to be published in October. And there are several other unreleased reports that agencies like the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics still need to issue, cancel or combine.
Why This Matters
Delayed economic reports can blur the outlook for inflation, jobs, and growth, complicating decisions for investors, businesses, and policymakers. Understanding the new schedule helps readers interpret upcoming market-moving data.
Here are some of the new release dates and schedule changes announced so far:
Dec. 3: September industrial production and capacity utilization (Originally scheduled for Oct. 17 release)
Dec. 5: September Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, personal incomes and outlays (Originally scheduled for Oct. 31)
Dec. 9: September and October Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) (Originally scheduled for Nov. 4 and Dec. 2)
Dec. 10: Q3 employment cost index (Originally scheduled for Oct. 31 )
Dec. 16: November U.S. employment report, including October payrolls (Originally scheduled for Nov. 7 and Dec. 5; the household survey for October is cancelled)
Dec. 18: November Consumer Price Index (CPI), including a subset of the October report (Originally scheduled for Nov. 13 and Dec. 10 releases )
Dec. 23: Q3 Gross Domestic Product, initial estimate (The advance GDP estimate scheduled for Oct. 30 was cancelled. The Bureau of Labor Statistics will postpone a subsequent third quarter GDP estimate originally scheduled for Dec. 19.)
Dec. 23: October and November industrial production and capacity utilization (Originally scheduled for Nov. 18 and Dec. 16 releases)
Here are some reports that still need to be rescheduled:
September housing starts (Originally scheduled for Oct. 17 release; October and November reports are also not yet rescheduled)
September new home sales (Originally scheduled for Oct. 24 release; October and November reports are also not yet rescheduled)
September advanced reports on trade deficit, wholesale inventories and retail inventories (Originally scheduled for Oct. 29 release; October and November reports are also not yet rescheduled)
September U.S. trade deficit (Originally scheduled for Nov. 4 release; October and November reports are also not yet rescheduled)
September business inventories (Originally scheduled for a November release; the October report is also not yet rescheduled)
October retail sales (Originally scheduled for November release; the November report is also not yet rescheduled)
October PCE price index, personal incomes and outlays (Originally scheduled for Nov. 26; the November report is also not yet rescheduled)
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