U.S. Nonfarm Payroll Employment Increases by 29,000; Unemployment Rate Holds at 4.2% in September

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that both nonfarm payroll employment, increasing by 29,000, and the unemployment rate, at 4.2 percent, changed little in September 2026. The unemployment rate has remained in a narrow range of 4.1 percent to 4.3 percent since March. The labor force participation rate was 61.8 percent, and the employment-population ratio was 59.2 percent.