Fed struggles to assess state of US economy as government shutdown shuts off key data

By: Jason Reed, University of Notre Dame

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 28, 2025

Words: 1,195

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 6 days ago

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By Jason Reed, University of Notre Dame

When it comes to setting monetary policy for the world’s largest economy, what data drives decision-making?

In ordinary times, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee, which usually meets eight times a year, have a wealth of information at their disposal, including key statistics such as monthly employment and extensive inflation data.

But with the federal shutdown that began Oct. 1, …

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