The August US jobs report is among the best we have seen in some time and provided an uplifting backdrop for the Labor Day weekend. Labor demand is solid and becoming more broad-based, unemployment remains low, and labor supply improved in August. At the same time, moderate wage growth and solid productivity gains show that inflationary pressures are subdued in the labor market.
In other words, the report reinforces our view that the Fed has little reason to worry about the employment side of its dual mandate. It leaves Fed policymakers free to focus on inflation. Let's take a deep dive into the report:
I. Job Growth
The US economy added 162,000 jobs in August, well above expectations, while the change in July payrolls was revised up to 21,000 from -23,000 (chart). Payrolls increased by an average of 71,300 over the past three months, while the six-month average rose to 107,000, its highest since July 2024. So far this year, job growth has averaged about 80,000 per month, up sharply from just 10,000 per month in 2025.
