U.S. Payrolls Jump 162,000 In August, Nearly Triple Forecasts
The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent, the Labor Department said, and traders pared bets on an imminent Fed rate cut.
- Wall Street economists had forecast just 55,000 new jobs for the month.
- Treasury yields rose across the curve as investors pared Fed rate-cut bets.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the report on September 4, 2026.
Why it matters: The Fed's case for cutting rates rested on a weak labor market that isn't there.
BLS Employment Situation Summary (August 2026) ↗ · Sep 4, 20269/4/26