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US economy added jobs at a slower pace than expected in June
Fox Business • • general
Key Points:
- The U.S. economy added 57,000 jobs in June 2026, falling short of the 110,000 jobs forecast by economists, while the unemployment rate decreased slightly to 4.2%, below the expected 4.3%.
- Revisions to prior months showed April and May payroll gains were overestimated by a combined 74,000 jobs, indicating slower job growth than initially reported.
- Key sector changes included a 21,500-job increase in healthcare, a 61,000-job decline in leisure and hospitality, and modest growth in manufacturing and government payrolls.
- Labor force participation and employment-population ratios declined slightly, with long-term unemployment remaining steady but elevated at 1.9 million people, accounting for over a quarter of all unemployed.
- Experts interpret the report as signaling a softer labor market that supports the Federal Reserve's cautious stance on interest rate hikes, though markets responded positively with gains in major stock indices following the report.
