The Latest Breaking News from Bill Adams

A wide range of economists say the Federal Reserve now has the green light to cut interest rates, following a cooler-than-expected inflation report that suggests price pressures are easing — and that monetary policy can shift focus toward the softening labor market.

With the U.S. government shutdown still clouding official labor statistics, alternative data from private firms and banks is sending a clear message: the labor market is cooling, and markets are betting big that the Federal Reserve will respond with another rate cut at its Oct. 30 meeting.

Interpreting economic data is challenging on a good day—harder still when crucial reports go missing.

As the U.S. government shutdown suspends Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data releases, including the critical September jobs report scheduled for Friday, the Chicago Fed has stepped in with a final real-time forecast, predicting a steady unemployment rate of 4.34% for September 2025, based on 11 job market indicators.