Jobs report April 2026
CNBC • • general
Key Points:
- U.S. job creation in April exceeded expectations with 115,000 nonfarm payrolls added, surpassing the forecast of 55,000, while the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.3%.
- Average hourly earnings grew by 0.2% monthly and 3.6% annually, slightly below estimates, indicating moderate wage growth in the labor market.
- Healthcare led job gains with 37,000 new positions, followed by transportation, retail, and social assistance, while information services lost 13,000 jobs, reflecting ongoing impacts from AI advancements.
- The broader unemployment measure, including discouraged and part-time workers, rose to 8.2%, with labor force participation dropping to 61.8%, the lowest since October 2021.
- The report highlights labor market resilience amid economic uncertainties, complicating Federal Reserve policy decisions as officials remain divided on future interest rate moves.
