Labor Market Tightens Despite Tepid Job Growth as Labor Force Declines Further
8 hours ago
- #employment trends
- #labor market
- #immigration impact
- Nonfarm payrolls increased by 57,000 jobs in June, with prior months revised down, but the six-month average rose to 88,000.
- The labor force has declined due to reduced illegal and legal immigration, leading to a tight labor supply despite weak demand, lowering unemployment to 4.19%.
- Average hourly earnings grew by 3.52% year-over-year, but inflation at 4.2% in May exceeded wage growth.
- Employment trends vary by industry: Healthcare added 50,000 jobs (3-month average), while Leisure and Hospitality lost 9,000, and Manufacturing showed no growth.
- Government employment shrank, with federal civilian jobs down by 324,000 since January 2025, and state jobs down by 56,000, though local government jobs increased.