U.S. Job Market Rebounds with 162,000 New Jobs in August

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 4, 2026

U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August, far surpassing the 65,000 forecast, while unemployment held steady at 4.1%, according to the Labor Department's September 4 report. Wage growth slowed to 3.1% year over year, the weakest pace since May 2021, even as living costs remain elevated. The strong jobs report raises the likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate hike at its September 15-16 meeting, with policymakers watching next week's inflation data closely. Economists note a 'no-hire, no-fire' dynamic in which low layoffs coexist with weak gross hiring, driven partly by Trump's immigration crackdown and baby boomer retirements shrinking the available labor pool.