U.S. adds 165,000 jobs in October 2026 as unemployment edges down
U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in October 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a revised gain of 60,000 jobs for September 2026. The unemployment rate was 4.1% in October 2026 and 4.2% in September 2026.
U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in October 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a revised gain of 60,000 jobs for September 2026. The unemployment rate was 4.1% in October 2026 and 4.2% in September 2026.
In its Nov. 6, 2026 report, BLS raised the combined payroll gains for August and September 2026 by 84,000 jobs. Average hourly earnings for private-sector employees were $38 in October 2026, up 0.4% from September 2026 and 3.1% from October 2025.
In the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood metro area, BLS estimated 1,175,300 payroll jobs in September 2026, compared with 1,182,300 in September 2025. The metro comparison uses payroll counts without seasonal adjustment. The national October 2026 payroll gain uses seasonally adjusted figures.
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SOURCE STATUS: One-source report; independent confirmation pending.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: U.S. employers add 165,000 jobs in October as unemployment holds near 4.1% ↗
- www.bls.gov ↗
A sourced news brief; no independent staff reporting is implied. Prepared with AI assistance; source-dependent claims remain attributed in the article.
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