Economists say job losses likely, even as shutdown delays report

WASHINGTON ( IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH ) - Friday’s jobs report is missing in action because of the federal shutdown, but economists are finding other ways of measuring apparent job losses concentrated in Midwestern states and oil country.

Unemployment could continue to rise, especially for Black people, who have borne the brunt of recent job losses.

Friday’s jobs report for September was missing because of the federal government shutdown. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics staff responsible for collecting, analyzing and releasing the data have been furloughed since Wednesday.

The jobs report is useful to economists, government agencies such as the Federal Reserve, and investors trying to gauge the state of the economy, said Elise Gould, senior economist for the left-leaning Economic Pol