• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will not release an October Consumer Price Index report due to the ongoing government shutdown.
  • This marks the first major interruption to monthly CPI data collection since the series began over 77 years ago.
  • The BLS entered the shutdown with nearly 25% staff attrition since February 2025, complicating recovery efforts.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has confirmed it will not publish an October Consumer Price Index report, creating an unprecedented gap in inflation data as the government shutdown extends into its third week. The disruption represents the first major break in the 77-year history of monthly CPI reporting.

Only the September 2025 CPI was released through a one-time recall of essential staff, primarily to enable calculation of the 2026 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. No additional releases are planned until funding is restored, according to people familiar with the matter.

"The October 2025 period will remain a statistical blind spot," one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss operational details. "We cannot retroactively collect consistent information for this timeframe."

The BLS entered this shutdown in a weakened state, having lost nearly a quarter of its staff since February 2025 and with approximately one-third of leadership positions vacant. Recovery is expected to be slow, with persistent effects on data quality and availability even after the shutdown ends.

Market participants have expressed concern about the lack of visibility into inflation trends. "Without the CPI data, we're flying blind on monetary policy direction," said a fixed-income strategist at a major investment firm. "This creates significant uncertainty for Treasury markets and inflation-linked securities."

Previous government shutdowns in 1995-1996 and 2013 also delayed economic data releases, but the current disruption is considered more severe due to the agency's reduced staffing levels and the extended duration of the funding lapse.

Once funding is restored, the BLS will issue an updated release schedule, though users should expect significant delays and potentially cancelled releases for subsequent months. Many experts predict it could take months to catch up and regain prior data quality levels.

Attempts to reach BLS leadership for comment were unsuccessful. A recorded message on the agency's main phone line states that "most BLS operations are suspended during the funding lapse."