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BLS Recall Aims to Prepare Crucial CPI Data

10/10/2025

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Summary

Wiatrowski Prepares CPI

BLS recalls some employees to prepare the CPI amid the shutdown.
CPI due October 15 is crucial for Social Security adjustments.
A Trump administration official said the CPI data should be ready by November 1.
BLS operations are largely halted since October 1, with one full-time employee.
William J. Wiatrowski is acting BLS commissioner after Erika McEntarfer's dismissal.

Summary

Beach Warns Shutdown

The ongoing government shutdown disrupts the Labor Department’s ability to release timely employment and inflation data.
Delays in the September Jobs Report and October Consumer Price Index (CPI) postponement could cloud assessments and leave the Fed divided on rate cuts.
William Beach, former Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, warns the shutdown harms labor data used by global investors.

History

Historical Context

The 2013 U.S. government shutdown, lasting from October 1 to 17, resulted from a budget impasse over the Affordable Care Act, affecting approximately 800,000 federal employees. This disruption delayed critical economic data releases from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, complicating Federal Reserve decisions on interest rates. The shutdown highlighted the fragility of government operations during political conflicts, echoing similar past crises.

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Wiatrowski Prepares CPI

BLS recalls some employees to prepare the CPI amid the shutdown.
CPI due October 15 is crucial for Social Security adjustments.
A Trump administration official said the CPI data should be ready by November 1.
BLS operations are largely halted since October 1, with one full-time employee.
William J. Wiatrowski is acting BLS commissioner after Erika McEntarfer's dismissal.

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