The United States job market created 172 thousand jobs in May 2026, according to data released this Friday (June 5, 2026) by the body linked to the Department of Labor. The result exceeded economists’ projections, according to Reuterswhich expected the creation of around 85 thousand jobs. The unemployment rate remained at 4.3% for the 3rd consecutive month.
Estimates for May ranged from 50,000 to 125,000 vacancies. The performance reinforces the resilience of the American economy, which also saw positive revisions in data from previous months. April went from 115 thousand to 179 thousand jobs created, while March saw a revision to 214 thousand vacancies. Together, the revisions added 93,000 positions to the previously released total.
The leisure and hospitality sector led job creation in May, with 70,000 new vacancies. Restaurants and bars accounted for 48,000 of them. Local governments expanded their workforces by 55,000 positions, while the health sector added 35,000 jobs, mainly in outpatient services.
On the other hand, financial activities lost 22,000 vacancies in the period. The segment accumulates a reduction of 107 thousand jobs compared to the peak registered in May 2025. Insurance companies, related activities and commercial banks were mainly responsible for the drop.
Annual wage growth slowed to 3.4% from 3.6% in April. Despite the creation of higher-than-expected jobs, economists observe signs of a slowdown in consumption. Inflation-adjusted household income has fallen for 3 consecutive months, while the savings rate has reached a 4-year low.
The numbers reinforced expectations that the country will maintain a stricter stance on monetary policy. After the release of the report, markets began to attribute around 65% probability to an interest rate hike in December, compared to 48% previously.
