US Unemployment Falls to 4.1% as Economy Adds 165,000 Jobs in October
The Labor Department's October report shows 165,000 new jobs and a 4.1% unemployment rate, with manufacturing leading sectoral gains.
The United States added 165,000 jobs in October and the unemployment rate declined to 4.1%, the Department of Labor reported, with Secretary Keith Sonderling crediting the figures as evidence of labor market strength not seen in more than 50 years.
Manufacturing accounted for 19,000 of October's new positions, bringing the sector's total gain for 2026 to more than 100,000 jobs. Sonderling attributed the growth to what he described as trillions of dollars in domestic investment secured under the current administration, noting the economy has now recorded 10 consecutive months of manufacturing expansion.
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Initial jobless claims fell to 189,000 in the most recent weekly reading, matching the lowest level recorded since 1969, according to the statement. Since January, the administration says more than 1.25 million net private-sector jobs have been created, a pace Sonderling characterized as more than double the monthly breakeven rate.
The secretary also pointed to the Working Families Tax Cuts as a contributing factor alongside reshored production and record investment levels, arguing the combination is delivering broader economic security. The October Employment Situation Report marks one of the stronger monthly readings under the current administration by the metrics cited in the official statement.
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