Flying Blind? Goldman Lists Five Drivers Pressuring Labor Market 

With the Bureau of Labor Statistics closed during the federal government shutdown, some Wall Street research desks haven't been completely flying blind. Instead, they've turned to private data sources, and those datasets paint a clear picture of a labor market that's steadily losing momentum:

• Goldman Sachs analysts warn that their in-house labor-market tightness index has fallen to 2015 levels, signaling a more challenging environment for job seekers.

• Bank of America analysts report emerging evidence of rising unemployment and slower job growth based on customer payroll and deposit data.

• ADP data earlier this month showed private-sector job losses.

• Carlyle Group analysts, citing insights from portfolio companies, noted that U.S. job growth weakened further in September, continuing the softness seen in August.