Government Reopens: When Will Data Releases Resume?

The recent government shutdown paused key economic reports – including data on inflation, jobs, retail sales, new home sales and GDP. Now that the government has reopened, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis and other agencies are expected to release an updated schedule for these reports.

What’s the bottom line?
These data points are critical for the Federal Reserve as it prepares for its final meeting of the year on December 9-10. The Fed faces a delicate balancing act: curbing inflation without undermining the labor market. Chair Jerome Powell recently noted there’s “no risk-free path” forward, emphasizing that the committee remains divided.

He also cautioned that another rate cut in December “is not a foregone conclusion – far from it.” Any new labor or inflation data released before the meeting could heavily influence the Fed’s next move.
Quick refresher: When the Fed changes interest rates, it adjusts the Federal Funds Rate – the short-term rate banks charge each other. While this doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, it strongly influences them, along with broader economic trends.