White House warns Oct. jobs, CPI reports may never be released amid shutdown
White House Press Secretary Levitt said on Nov. 13 that October's key economic reports, including CPI and employment data, may not be released at all due to the government shutdown, CNBC reports. Levitt said Democrats may have permanently damaged the federal statistical system, leaving Federal Reserve policymakers flying blind during a critical period. The shutdown, now exceeding six weeks and marking the longest in U.S. history, has affected the release of retail sales, import-export data, and consumer spending figures. Levitt added the shutdown could reduce fourth-quarter economic growth by as much as 2 percentage points.