US weekly jobless claims report suspended on government shutdown

The US Department of Labor did not release today its weekly unemployment claims data as scheduled on Thursday due to the government shutdown, which entered its second day.

The shutdown also raises the possibility of postponing tomorrow's release of the September nonfarm payrolls report, which policymakers and investors closely monitor.

The suspension of this data increases uncertainty for investors and Federal Reserve policymakers and may force them to rely on other data to assess the health of the labor market.

According to ADP data released yesterday, the US private sector lost 32,000 jobs in September, heightening concerns about the labor market and prompting the Federal Reserve to accelerate interest rate cuts.