Omer Sharif

So far, we have not seen reports for October on either jobs or unemployment or inflation.

Omer Sharif, who runs a firm called Inflation Insight, says the unemployment numbers might be the hardest to reconstruct.

You have to call thousands of people to ask what they were doing a month ago now.

And even before the shutdown, the bureau that compiles that report was shorthanded because of the Trump administration's job cuts.

So far, we have not seen reports for October on either jobs or unemployment or inflation.

Omer Sharif, who runs a firm called Inflation Insight, says the unemployment numbers might be the hardest to reconstruct.

You have to call thousands of people to ask what they were doing a month ago now.

And even before the shutdown, the bureau that compiles that report was shorthanded because of the Trump administration's job cuts.

NPR's Scott Horsley reporting.