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September 4, 2026

U.S. Economy Adds 162,000 Jobs in August, Inflation Concerns Persist

  • Nonfarm payrolls increased by 162,000 in August, exceeding the 65,000 forecast, with July revised to show a net addition of 44,000 jobs.
  • The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, while average hourly earnings rose by 3.1%, the weakest year-over-year increase since May 2021.
  • Rising inflation and mortgage rates are straining household budgets, with the average 30-year mortgage rate climbing to 6.71%.

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