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Bureau of Labor Statistics > Consumer Price Index > Methods > Additional Resources

2025 federal government shutdown impact on the Consumer Price Index

This page addresses the effects of the 2025 federal government shutdown on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Federal government agencies were shut down or operating at reduced staffing levels during a lapse in appropriations from October 1, 2025, through November 12, 2025. Most CPI operations, including data collection, were suspended during that time period. Some staff were recalled between October 9, 2025 and October 24, 2025 to produce the September 2025 CPI which was released on October 24, 2025.

We will update this page as more information becomes available.

Were September 2025 data affected?
Were October 2025 data affected?
How will the missing October 2025 data be represented in BLS products?
What was the impact on November data collection?
What statistical weighting changes were made in November 2025?
How were November indexes calculated?
How will BLS publish price changes in December 2025 for cities that are subject to bi-monthly pricing, given the missing October 2025 data?
BLS calculates rent and owners’ equivalent rent using six-month panel collection. How will the missing October 2025 data impact the April 2026 rent and OER indexes?
Was the seasonal adjustment methodology changed?
Will there be a 12-month percent change published for October 2026 data?

1. Were September 2025 data affected?

No. Collection of CPI data for September 2025 had been completed in accordance with our normal schedule prior to the federal government shutdown. Publication of September data was delayed by more than a week (from October 15 to October 24) because of the shutdown. (See the September 2025 CPI news release.)

2. Were October 2025 data affected?

Yes. BLS could not collect October 2025 reference period survey data due to a lapse in appropriations. BLS is unable to retroactively collect these data. For a few indexes, BLS uses nonsurvey data sources instead of survey data to make the index calculations. BLS is able to retroactively acquire most of the nonsurvey data for October. Where possible, BLS will publish October 2025 values for these series with the release of November 2025 data.

BLS did not issue an October 2025 CPI news release.

3. How will the missing October 2025 data be represented in BLS products?

A dash will be used to indicate missing October 2025 data in CPI tables.

For html displays, missing data for October 2025 will appear as -(X) or - (X), where the dash indicates missing data and the text of footnote X reads “Data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations.” In XLSX displays, the missing data are represented as dashes and the tables show the footnote: “Data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations.”

In the BLS Public Data API, users will see a dash to represent the missing data value. Both net changes and percent will not be visible. Footnote text “Data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations” will be included.

For additional information on handling missing data see the approximating missing data factsheet.

4. What was the impact on November data collection?

Collection began on Friday, November 14. By authorizing additional collection hours, BLS attempted to collect data for the entire month of November.

5. What statistical weighting changes were made in November 2025?

No changes to the weights used in the construction of the CPI were made in November 2025. The weights will be updated with the release of the January 2026 CPI on February 11, 2026 as planned.

6. How were November indexes calculated?

November 2025 indexes were calculated by comparing November 2025 prices with October 2025 prices.

BLS could not collect October 2025 reference period survey data, so survey data were carried forward to October 2025 from September 2025 in accordance with normal procedures. For more information see the Handbook of Methods or the CPI Imputation video.

For a few indexes, BLS uses nonsurvey data sources instead of survey data to make the index calculations. Where possible, BLS will publish October 2025 values for item strata entirely composed of nonsurvey data with the release of November 2025 data.

7. How will BLS publish price changes in December 2025 for cities that are subject to bi-monthly pricing, given the missing October 2025 data?

BLS will publish a December 2025 2-month percent change for only the few indexes entirely composed of nonsurvey data.

8. BLS calculates rent and owners’ equivalent rent using six-month panel collection. How will the missing October 2025 data impact the April 2026 rent and OER indexes?

BLS is researching how the missing October 2025 data for rent and OER will affect the 6-month change for April 2026 data.

9. Was the seasonal adjustment methodology changed?

The seasonal adjustment methodology used for 2025 CPI data did not change. The seasonal factors will be updated with the release of the January 2026 CPI on February 11, 2026 as planned.

10. Will there be a 12-month percent change published for October 2026 data?

BLS will publish an October 2026 12-month percent change for only the few indexes entirely composed of nonsurvey data.

Last Modified Date: December 17, 2025