Good morning. The U.S.
government shutdown continues. While shutdowns aren’t new, the timing of this one may prove to be another test of resilience during uncertain times.
“The government shutdown is a symptom, not the story,” said Bridget Gainer, chief public affairs officer at Aon. “While Aon’s data shows that disruption is now a constant—from geopolitical tensions to regulatory paralysis—most businesses are still managing it like a one-off event,” she said.
Shutdowns can delay contracts, squeeze liquidity, and reveal how unprepared many companies are to absorb shocks, Gainer said. “What we’re telling clients is that planning for resilience isn’t a reaction—it’s a strategy for survival.”
Due to the government shutdown, key economic data—such as the
September jobs numbers scheduled for release on Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics—will be halted. U.S. employers added just 22,000 jobs in August, as the labor market continued to cool. Last month, the Labor Department said hiring decelerated from 79,000 in July. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3%, the highest level since 2021.
I asked Gregory Daco, EY-Parthenon’s chief economist, about the impact of the BLS not publishing the job numbers on Friday. “The absence of key data like the jobs report would temporarily blind business leaders, policymakers, and investors, heightening volatility and reinforcing the Fed’s data-dependency dilemma,” Daco said. It would also amplify economic uncertainty at a time when the economy is showing mixed signals, he added.
Regarding the impact on companies, Daco said that businesses rely on official data to inform hiring, investment, and pricing decisions. “A shutdown-induced data blackout undermines confidence and increases planning risk,” he said. “It adds friction at a time when many companies are already navigating a noisy policy and economic environment.”
ADP issues a monthly report that provides a snapshot of private sector employment based on its own payroll data, which may differ from the official BLS jobs report. On Wednesday,
ADP reported that U.S. private sector employment fell by 32,000 jobs in September. “Despite the strong economic growth we saw in the second quarter, this month’s release further validates what we’ve been seeing in the labor market, that U.S. employers have been cautious with hiring,” ADP chief economist Nela Richardson said in a statement.
As the shutdown continues, CFOs should prioritize agility in scenario planning, Daco said. With potential delays in economic data and government operations, finance chiefs should prepare for market volatility and disruptions to federal contracts, permits, or tax processing, he said.
“Uncertainty breeds caution, but it can also be a strategic advantage—firms that stay nimble will be better positioned to act once clarity returns,” Daco said.
Sheryl Estradasheryl.estrada@fortune.com 
