Government shutdown delays key monthly jobs report at a pivotal moment for the U.S. economy

For people who closely follow the U.S. economy , the first Friday of every month is known as “jobs Friday,” when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the previous month’s employment report at precisely 8:30 a.m. ET. But on this jobs Friday, September's employment data — a critical window into the health of the U.S. labor market — will not be released.