July 2026 Jobs Report: 23,000 Jobs Lost, Unemployment Stays 4.1%
The BLS said non‑farm payrolls fell by 23,000 in July, far below the 83,000 gain analysts forecast, while the unemployment rate edged down to 4.1%. The miss highlights the sharpest hiring slowdown in years and could push the Fed to hold off on rate cuts despite the stable unemployment figure.