U.S. labor market shows significant slowdown with only 29,000 jobs added in September 2026

In September 2026, the U.S. economy added only 29,000 jobs, significantly below the expected 85,000. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2%, up from 4.1% in August. The healthcare sector saw the most job growth, but overall hiring was weak, raising concerns ahead of the midterm elections.