Jobs report coming Friday as layoff announcements mount, but hiring appears to be on the upswing

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Yahoo Finance
Jobs report coming Friday as layoff announcements mount, but hiring appears to be on the upswing

Emma Ockerman
Thu, May 7, 2026 at 2:22 PM EDT 1 min read

April’s jobs report is on deck for Friday morning as market watchers look for signs that the labor market is stabilizing.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg estimate a median gain of 65,000 jobs and expect the unemployment rate to remain flat at 4.3%, following March’s blockbuster increase of 178,000 roles. There was already one glimmer of strength this week in private payroll growth, according to data from ADP: Private employers added 109,000 jobs in April, the fastest monthly gain since January 2025. And looking backward, March’s hiring rate improved to its highest level in nearly two years, government data released Tuesday showed.

{snip}

Emma Ockerman is a reporter covering the economy and labor for Yahoo Finance. You can reach her at [e-mail].

[displacedvermoter]

1. Why is 178,000 jobs a "blockbuster increase"?

Jeezus, are there no no longer any of these fucking writers who even try any more?

Why is 109,000 private sector jobs in April "a glimmer of strength", whatever that is?

[bucolic_frolic]

2. AI is improving productivity so they're hiring more to expand.

This can only last so long.