US employment report will not be published again as government shutdown drags on

By Lucia Mutikani

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Labor Department on Friday will not publish its closely watched employment report for an unprecedented second straight month as the government remains shut, and fears are mounting October’s report might not be released when full operations resume.

The longest shutdown on record, now in its second month, has led to a government data blackout, making it difficult for policymakers, investors, economists and ordinary Americans to get a clear view of the economy. Though private institutions have stepped in with alternative data sources, economists have cautioned these are more limited in scope and could never replace government-issued statistics.

While September’s employment report, which was due on October 3, is likely to be published within