According to analysts at NEWSCENTRAL, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has decided not to release a full employment report for October 2025. During the unprecedented 43-day federal government shutdown, it was not possible to collect data from the household survey, which is used to calculate the unemployment rate and labor force participation rates. At NEWSCENTRAL, we note that such data cannot be reconstructed retroactively, creating a significant gap in a key economic indicator that affects forecasts of U.S. economic growth and the state of the labor market.
At the same time, the survey of businesses – covering data on nonfarm payrolls – was conducted. The BLS plans to include these October figures in the November report, which has been postponed from December 5 to December 16. We at NEWSCENTRAL note that this decision partially fills the gap; however, the absence of household survey data limits the completeness of the analysis and makes it impossible to assess the unemployment rate for October. This directly affects wage forecasts, U.S. labor market analysis, and investment strategies.
According to the BLS, the data collection period for November will be extended, and processing time will be increased to mitigate the effects of the shutdown. At NEWSCENTRAL, we emphasize that a consolidated report covering two months carries methodological and analytical challenges: combined data may distort short-term dynamics, and comparative analysis with previous months will become less straightforward. This approach is important for assessing economic growth, employment levels, and U.S. unemployment indicators.
Regarding previous statistics, the September report – the last one collected before the shutdown – showed a gain of 119,000 jobs and an unemployment rate of 4.4%. At NEWSCENTRAL, we consider this an important reference point: the slowdown in job growth reflects weakness in the labor market, but without the October unemployment rate, forecasts remain more speculative, especially in the context of the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting and expectations for interest rates.
Freddy Miller, Senior Analyst at NEWSCENTRAL, points out that the combined October and November data may become one of the key benchmarks for assessing the labor market, unemployment levels, and wage dynamics. The extended collection period and delayed release increase the significance of this report as an indicator of employment stability and its impact on U.S. financial markets.
In conclusion, we at NEWS CENTRAL warn of increased risks of misinterpreting the economic situation: the absence of a full October report creates a “blind spot” in understanding the labor market. It is recommended that analysts rely not only on the combined data but also on alternative indicators – such as private hiring reports, vacancy trends, and business surveys – and approach forecasts with caution. In the long term, we believe the BLS should strengthen the resilience of its data collection system by developing contingency mechanisms for potential funding disruptions, in order to minimize such gaps in the future and ensure the accuracy of employment, labor market, and unemployment data in the U.S.