US ‘flying blind’ at critical moment for economy, experts warn, with no jobs data amid shutdown

Data was collected for closely-watched jobs report before shutdown, but Trump officials so far defy calls to publish it

Companies, consumers, policymakers and investors across the US are flying blind" at a crucial time for the world's largest economy, a former top official has warned, after Friday's closely-watched jobs report was not published as a result of the federal government shutdown.

The data for the release have already been collected, according to two former heads of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). But the Trump administration has so far defied calls to publish the report.