The U.S. economy came roaring back in August, crushing Wall Street expectations with a blockbuster jobs report that showed hiring accelerating and unemployment holding steady.
Employers added 162,000 jobs last month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly triple the 56,000 gain expected by economists surveyed by LSEG.
The unemployment rate held at 4.1%, matching forecasts and giving the Trump administration fresh ammunition as it argues the economy remains on solid footing despite months of uncertainty and nonstop warnings from critics.
The report also delivered better news for the previous two months.
June payroll growth was revised up by 11,000 jobs, from 20,000 to 31,000. July was revised sharply higher as well, turning what had initially been reported as a loss of 23,000 jobs into a gain of 21,000.
Taken together, June and July employment was 55,000 jobs stronger than previously reported.
The private sector did much of the heavy lifting in August, adding 127,000 jobs. That easily topped the 45,000 gain economists had expected.
July private payroll growth was also revised upward, from 30,000 jobs to 71,000.
Government payrolls added 35,000 jobs in August, driven largely by local government hiring.
Local governments added 50,000 positions, including 42,000 education jobs, while federal employment fell by 5,000 and state government employment declined by 10,000.
“HOLD ON TO YOUR SEATS!”: The economy added 162,000 new jobs last month — shattering economists’ expectations.
More than one million private sector jobs have been added since President Trump took office.
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— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 4, 2026
Manufacturing also posted a stronger-than-expected month, adding 16,000 jobs compared with an estimate of just 5,000.
July’s manufacturing gain was revised up as well, from 5,000 jobs to 14,000.
The numbers provide another encouraging sign for a sector that President Donald Trump has repeatedly made a centerpiece of his economic agenda, particularly as his administration pushes to expand domestic production and reduce America’s reliance on foreign manufacturing.
Restaurants and bars delivered one of the biggest gains of the month, adding 59,000 jobs. That far outpaced the sector’s average monthly increase of 12,000 over the previous year.
Healthcare added another 13,000 jobs, including 11,000 in home healthcare services and 8,000 at hospitals.
Not every sector posted gains.
Information employment fell by 23,000 jobs in August, a steeper drop than the sector’s average monthly decline of 8,000 over the last year.
Losses were concentrated in computing infrastructure, data processing, web hosting and related services, which shed 8,000 jobs. Publishing lost 7,000 positions, while broadcasting and content providers lost 5,000.
Construction employment was little changed overall, though the sector still added 22,000 jobs, including 8,000 among nonresidential specialty trade contractors.
The August report marks a sharp turnaround from the initial shock surrounding July’s weak numbers and gives the White House a powerful economic talking point heading into the fall.
With job creation smashing expectations, previous months revised higher and unemployment holding at 4.1%, the latest numbers offer little support for the doom-and-gloom predictions that have followed Trump’s economic policies.
