November 6, 2026 | TickerRoast Markets Analysis
U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in October, well above the 65,000 expected by economists polled by Reuters, and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.1% from 4.2% in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday, Nov. 6, at 8:30 a.m. ET. The October gain is more than three times the average monthly increase of 48,000 over the prior 12 months, according to the BLS.
What the report showed
- Nonfarm payrolls: +165,000 in October.
- Unemployment rate: 4.1%, down from 4.2%.
- Labor force participation rate: 61.9%; employment-population ratio: 59.3%.
- Average hourly earnings: up 14 cents, or 0.4%, to $38.00 for the month, and up 3.1% from a year earlier.
- Average workweek: unchanged at 34.4 hours.
Where the jobs came from
Professional and business services led the gains with 70,000 jobs. Health care added 42,000, including 16,000 in hospitals and 11,000 in home health care. Transportation and warehousing added 25,000, with couriers and messengers accounting for 17,000 of them, and manufacturing added 19,000, led by computer and electronic products. The BLS described employment in other major industries as showing little change; its summary table shows small declines in wholesale trade (about 9,000) and construction (about 3,000).
Earlier months revised higher
The BLS also revised its estimates for the two previous months upward. August was raised by 53,000 to a gain of 186,000, and September by 31,000 to a gain of 60,000. Together, employment in August and September was 84,000 higher than previously reported.
Market reaction
Treasury yields moved higher after the release, according to Reuters. In its report published at 8:48 a.m. ET, Reuters said the 2-year yield was up 5 basis points at 4.52% and the 10-year yield up 4 basis points at 4.88%, before yields pulled back from their highs. The same report put the U.S. dollar index up 0.7% at 102.18. Stock index futures were mixed: Nasdaq futures were up 1.4% and S&P 500 futures up 0.3%.
Context
The report came out the morning after a broad selloff in technology and semiconductor stocks on Thursday, Nov. 5, covered in TickerRoast’s Friday Morning Brief. With October’s gain and the upward revisions, the past three months averaged about 137,000 new jobs a month, based on the BLS figures above. Market figures in this article are those reported by Reuters at the time stated above and may have changed since.
Sources
- The Employment Situation — October 2026 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Strong October jobs report sends yields higher — Reuters (via AOL)
Featured image: visual created by TickerRoast from BLS data.
AI disclosure: This article was generated with AI tools from the sources listed above and was not reviewed by a human editor before publication.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute investment, financial, legal or tax advice, nor a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Market data are as of the stated time and may be delayed or revised; sources are cited above. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of capital. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. Conflicts of interest: At the time of writing, the author and TickerRoast have no position in the securities mentioned and receive no compensation from the companies discussed.
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