FX.co ★ US Economy Likely Added 85K Jobs in May

The US economy is expected to have added 85,000 jobs in May 2026, signaling a modest cooling after two consecutive months of payroll gains above 100,000. The unemployment rate is forecast to hold steady at 4.3%. Average hourly earnings are projected to increase 0.3% month over month, a slight acceleration from April’s 0.2% rise. On a year-over-year basis, however, wage growth is anticipated to slow to 3.4% from 3.6%. Overall, the May report is likely to underscore the continued resilience of the labour market, with the prevailing low-hire, low-fire dynamic still largely intact, though some analysts caution that this pattern may be starting to shift.