Heavyweight data "absent"! Non-farm payrolls postponed due to US government shutdown, market expected 55,000 new jobs plunged into "information vacuum".

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed on Monday that the January jobs report, originally scheduled to be released on Friday, will not be able to be published on time due to the partial government shutdown. Emily Leder, the Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, stated in a declaration, "The January 2026 Employment Situation Report will not be released as previously scheduled on Friday, February 6, 2026. The report will be rescheduled for release after government funding is restored." Following a record-breaking shutdown that lasted until early November last year, the bureau has been forced to delay multiple routine data releases and has only just recovered from the impact of that event. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is also responsible for releasing the Consumer Price Index, import and export data, and other data related to labor and consumers. It is currently unclear whether the Department of Commerce will face report delays due to the impasse in Washington. This decision comes during a week of intensive economic data releases, with the non-farm payrolls report set to be the highlight of the week. This report includes the number of employees reported by businesses (a headline figure in non-farm employment) and the number of individuals reported as having jobs in household surveys (used to calculate the unemployment rate). Market expectations had previously predicted the report would show an increase of 55,000 jobs and an unemployment rate remaining steady at 4.4%. In addition to non-farm employment, the Bureau of Labor Statistics was set to release the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey report on Tuesday. The government shut down again last Saturday as Congress failed to reach an expenditure plan by the deadline. One of the contentious points in the bill is providing funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which has sparked social unrest with its efforts to curb illegal immigration. Republican Congressman and House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana stated over the weekend that he expects the impasse to be resolved by Tuesday.