The United States suspended the publication of a key employment report Friday as a partial government shutdown entered its third day, casting a fog over the health of the world’s biggest economy.

The government has also delayed other economic releases this week, including a report on the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits — depriving government and business leaders of indicators used in decision-making.

The data halt comes as the ongoing shutdown saw hundreds of thousands of federal employees being sent home across a range of agencies.

The Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that under a lapse in funding, about 750,000 employees could be furloughed each day.

But the US labor market has come under heightened scrutiny in recent months as hiring weakened notably,

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