Total employment changes by thousands, while millions change jobs every month (opens in new tab)

On the first Friday of the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases data on the prior month’s job growth and the unemployment rate. It’s one of the most anticipated data releases. Financial market participants pay close attention to see whether the change in jobs is consistent with forecasters’ expectations. For example, the February 2026 report showed the economy shed 92,000 jobs, while forecasters anticipated modest gains of around 50,000 jobs, a difference of 142,000 jobs.