US labor market beats April job forecasts as household employment shrinks
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 8
US labor market beats April job forecasts as household employment shrinks
10 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 8
Payroll employment reached a record 158.7 million and rose by 304,000 this year, but household data showed employment down 1.37 million in 2026.
The labor force was about 700,000 smaller than in January 2025 and 1.55 million below November's peak, helping keep unemployment steady as participation fell to a mid-1970s low outside the pandemic.
Hiring remained concentrated in services, especially healthcare, while manufacturing lost 2,000 jobs in April and has 77,000 fewer positions than when Donald Trump returned to office.
With labor force growth near zero, how will the U.S. economy achieve future growth?
How will new Fed leadership navigate persistent inflation and slowing job growth?
As rising energy costs strain households, can the Fed hold rates steady without risking a recession?