US Employers Seen Adding 65,000 August Jobs as Unemployment Ticks Up to 4.2%
Updated
Updated · CNN · Sep 3
US Employers Seen Adding 65,000 August Jobs as Unemployment Ticks Up to 4.2%
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Sep 3
Summary
65,000 jobs are expected to have been added in August, with the unemployment rate edging up to 4.2% when the Labor Department releases Friday’s report.
July’s estimated 23,000 job loss is widely seen as a seasonal distortion rather than a turning point, with economists expecting rebounds in local education and leisure hiring.
61,000 jobs per month is this year’s average pace so far, underscoring a labor market economists describe as low-hire, low-fire even as layoffs stay limited and claims remain low.
79,000 fewer jobs were counted in a preliminary benchmark revision for April 2025 to March 2026, reinforcing evidence that hiring has been softer than first reported.
5.9 million jobs are projected to be added from 2025 to 2035, but slower immigration, retirements and AI are reshaping labor supply and where future gains emerge.