US Labour Market Adds 162,000 Jobs in August, Manufacturing Employment Continues Upward Trend

The US labour market added 162,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in August, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1 per cent. This is according to official data released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on September 4, 2026.

Manufacturing employment continued its upward trend with a gain of 16,000 jobs in August and has now increased by 58,000 from a recent low in December 2025. Machinery manufacturing and fabricated metal product manufacturing each added 6,000 jobs, while construction remained relatively stable at 22,000 jobs.

The BLS reported that total nonfarm payroll gains in August were above the average monthly increase of 31,000 over the prior 12 months. Employment rose in food services and drinking places as well as local government education, but the information industry experienced job losses.