dearth

But given the dearth of official spending data, investors were more eager to hear what they had to say about the consumer economy.

With a dearth of economic reports due to the lingering effects of the U.S. government shutdown, any early indications of all-important retail sales data will be closely watched.

Fed officials, including Fed Chair Jerome Powell, economists, and investors have repeatedly lamented in recent months the dearth of official economic data used to make policy decisions.

Even as employers complain about a dearth of qualified workers, a growing college-educated proletariat can’t find jobs they want to work.

It’s hard to know what is in store for the jobs market in the short to medium term, given the prolonged government shutdown and dearth of economic data as a result.