Still, following the Fed’s rate reduction in October, Chair Jerome Powell said a December cut wasn’t assured. For policymakers focused on the potential for inflation to re-accelerate, the absence of official figures is likely gives them further reason to hold next month.“Even if the government were to reopen, it’s unlikely the Bureau of Labor Statistics would be able to collect and process data for both the October and November CPI reports ahead of the December FOMC meeting. We think October’s figures would ...