Brazil Suspends Release of Jobs Data Amid Coronavirus Crisis

(Bloomberg) -- Brazil will suspend the release of jobs data as companies have been unable to provide complete information amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Many companies have failed to supply the government with mandatory numbers for January and February, which will prevent the release of a report scheduled for Tuesday, the economy ministry said in a statement. It did not specify when it would resume publishing the information.

“As soon as the situation returns to normal and companies resume sending complete data, there will be ample release of the statistics for the previous months, as it has always been the case,” the statement read.

Brazil opened nearly 650,000 new formal positions in 2019, the most in six years. Before the virus paralyzed the economy, the government expected to accelerate the pace of job creation this year.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.