Shutdown Disrupts U.S. Inflation Reporting as October CPI Data Is Cancelled

21 November 2025

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced on November 21 that it will not publish the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) for October 2025, attributing the cancellation to the recent federal government shutdown that disrupted essential data collection efforts.

The CPI report is a cornerstone of economic monitoring, tracking the changing cost of goods and services and offering a critical gauge of inflation. According to the BLS statement, the agency could not retroactively collect the household and retail price surveys needed for October, owing to the extended shutdown period. While the BLS said it would attempt to compile some nonsurvey data for select series and publish that information alongside November’s figures, a full CPI reading for the month is off the table.

The shutdown which lasted 43 days and was the longest in U.S. history halted in-person visits and telephone calls used to measure price changes in stores and households. Since the household survey component cannot be filled in after the fact without risking accuracy, the BLS deemed it impossible to reconstruct a valid CPI figure for the reference period.

In a blow to data transparency, the CPI cancellation marks a rare instance in which a key monthly economic indicator has been abandoned in mid-month. For market watchers, analysts and policymakers alike, the missing report creates a data hole at a sensitive moment. With the Federal Reserve preparing for its December policy meeting, the lack of October inflation data undermines its ability to gauge pricing pressures and economic momentum.

The BLS noted that November’s CPI report, originally scheduled for December 10, will now be released on December 18 and will include whatever nonsurvey data it can gather for October. Meanwhile, the employment situation for October is also affected: the nonfarm payrolls data will be merged with November’s release on December 16, and the unemployment rate based on the household survey will never be published for October, since that component was likewise disrupted and cannot be backfilled reliably.

For households and businesses following inflation trends, the cancellation deepens uncertainty. Many Americans pay close attention to the CPI because it links to cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security and informs wage negotiations, pricing decisions and consumer expectations. Without recent data there is less clarity on how inflation is evolving and whether price pressures remain entrenched.

Economists are voicing concern not only about the missing number but also the precedent it sets. When major economic indicators go unreported, it can erode confidence in the governmental statistical apparatus and raise questions about how well policymakers can respond in real time. Some analysts liken the situation to trying to drive a car without a speedometer operating on incomplete information.

In fiscal and policy circles the issue also carries political weight. The shutdown itself has been blamed for costing the U.S. economy billions, and now the data blackout offers another example of the government’s limited capacity when unfunded. White House officials have referenced the cancelation to argue that the shutdown may have permanently impaired the federal statistical system.

Businesses too are adapting. Without the latest inflation data they may become more cautious in pricing and hiring decisions. Some firms might delay planned wage increases or price hikes until they see a clearer picture of inflation and demand trends in the coming months. That dynamic could ripple into hiring, investment and consumer-spending decisions.

Looking ahead the BLS faces a steep task: compiling accurate November data, filling as many gaps as possible from October and restoring confidence in its outputs. But the October hole cannot be ignored. For the public and policymakers, the absence of the CPI number is a reminder of how political turbulence in this case a funding lapse can interfere with economic measurement and decision-making.

In that sense the cancellation of the October CPI report is emblematic of a deeper vulnerability in economic governance: when data collection falters, policy becomes murkier and risk increases. As the U.S. enters a period of high-stakes monetary policy and cost-of-living anxiety, the missing indicator may loom larger than a single number. It reveals the fragile bridge between government operations and economic clarity.