(NewsNation) — Monthly economic data guides everything from interest rates to investment decisions, but a government shutdown could leave policymakers flying blind at a critical moment.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which produces key reports on jobs and inflation, will "suspend all operations" if the government shuts down, according to a Labor Department contingency plan. Reports scheduled during the lapse "will not be released," and data collection will cease, the memo said.

That means Friday's highly anticipated September jobs report could be delayed if Congress and President Donald Trump fail to reach a funding deal before Tuesday's midnight deadline.

Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate, called the prospect "especially ill-timed" given the "high degree of uncertainty

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