US Labour Market Sees Strong Job Gains in August
The US labour market added 162,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in August, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1 per cent. The manufacturing sector continued its upward trend with a gain of 16,000 jobs, and was up 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 steady at 22,000 jobs. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said total nonfarm payroll gains in August were above the average monthly increase of 31,000 over the prior 12 months.
Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 10 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $37.75 in August, and were up by 3.1 per cent over the year. The White House characterised the 16,000 manufacturing gain as the strongest monthly increase in three years.
Manufacturers had added 58,000 jobs this year, driven by demand for pharmaceutical and defence production, data centre construction and semiconductor plants. Factory construction jobs were up nearly 100,000 in President Donald J Trump's second term.