Economists See 105,000 May Jobs Added as US Unemployment Holds at 4.3%
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jun 4
Economists See 105,000 May Jobs Added as US Unemployment Holds at 4.3%
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jun 4
Summary
105,000 jobs added in May would give the US three straight months above 100,000 for the first time since early 2024, a sign hiring may be stabilizing ahead of Friday’s report.
Healthcare and social assistance still prop up much of the labor market, but ADP data suggest hiring broadened in May; economists will watch the diffusion index for confirmation that gains are spreading across industries.
3.6% average hourly earnings growth in April lagged 3.8% inflation after the oil-price shock tied to the US-Israeli war with Iran, leaving wage trends a key test in the May report.
17,000 Spirit Airlines job losses and 97,006 announced May layoffs—up 16% from April—have not yet triggered broad alarm, with unemployment claims still near historic lows and economists seeing AI displacement as limited so far.
4.3% unemployment would also suggest businesses are hiring through lingering uncertainty over tariffs, rates and geopolitics, as economists say firms are adapting and moving ahead with staffing decisions.