White House Warns of Potential Permanent Damage to Economic Data Releases Amid Government Shutdown

According to Odaily, White House Press Secretary Levitt has expressed concerns that key economic reports for October may not be released due to the ongoing government shutdown. Levitt stated that the Democratic Party might have caused permanent damage to the federal statistical system, potentially preventing the release of the October Consumer Price Index (CPI) and non-farm employment reports. This disruption could leave Federal Reserve policymakers without crucial data during a critical period. The government shutdown has now extended beyond six weeks, marking the longest in history, and Wall Street has been closely monitoring the situation regarding the release of important economic data. Other affected reports include retail sales, import and export data, as well as consumer spending and income figures. While most economists previously anticipated that all data would eventually be published, albeit with delays, Levitt's comments have cast doubt on these expectations. She further noted that the shutdown could potentially reduce fourth-quarter economic growth by up to 2 percentage points.