FX.co ★ US Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.2% in September

The US unemployment rate rose to 4.2% in September 2026, up from 4.1% in August and slightly above market expectations of 4.1%. The number of unemployed increased by 78,000 to 7.11 million, while total employment climbed by 406,000 to 163.15 million. The labor force grew by 485,000 to 170.26 million, lifting the labor force participation rate to 61.8% from 61.6%. The employment-to-population ratio also inched up to 59.2%. At the same time, the broader U-6 measure of labor underutilization—which includes the unemployed, underemployed, and marginally attached workers—eased to 7.6% from 7.7%.