The Big Story

Shutdown would shutter econ data agency at bad time

The federal government will stop producing key economic data if government funding elapses Wednesday, depriving policymakers and investors of crucial information amid deep concerns about the job market.

© AP

If President Trump and Democratic lawmakers fail to reach a funding deal before a Wednesday deadline, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will shutter until the shutdown is over, according to a contingency plan released Monday by the Labor Department.

That would prevent the BLS from releasing the highly anticipated September jobs report on Friday as scheduled, and it could delay the agency’s collection of other key economic data.

The BLS also produces consumer price index (CPI) data on inflation and wages — both o

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