US Labour Market Adds 162,000 Jobs in August, Manufacturing Sector Surges

The US labour market showed a mixed performance in August according to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nonfarm payroll jobs rose by 162,000, exceeding the average monthly increase of 31,000 over the prior 12 months.

Much of this growth came from the private sector, which created more than one million jobs in President Donald J Trump's second term. In contrast, federal employment remained at its lowest share of the workforce on record.

The manufacturing sector was a bright spot, adding 16,000 jobs in August and 58,000 since December 2025. Machinery manufacturing and fabricated metal product manufacturing led this growth, each adding 6,000 jobs.