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Friday, 6 November 2026AboutAdvertiseContact

US adds 165,000 jobs in October, beating economist forecasts

The unemployment rate fell to 4.1% as the labour market showed resilience despite economic headwinds.

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Illustrative image. Photo: alex° on Unsplash

At a glance

  • US job creation reached 165,000 in October, surpassing economist forecasts
  • Unemployment rate fell to 4.1%
  • Labour market showing resilience despite economic headwinds
  • Job growth remains modest but layoffs stay low

The United States added 165,000 jobs in October, exceeding economist expectations, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday. The unemployment rate declined slightly to 4.1%.

Economists have characterised the labour market as being in a "low-hire, low-fire" state, marked by sluggish job growth alongside low layoff rates. The October figures suggest the market is performing better than this pattern would indicate, amid broader economic uncertainty.

Why it matters

Labour market strength is a key indicator of economic health and influences decisions on interest rates and monetary policy.

Original reporting

This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.