US adds 165,000 jobs in October and a December rate rise looks likely
Payrolls rose 165,000, far above forecasts, and unemployment fell to 4.1%; the CME FedWatch tool then put the chance of a quarter-point Federal Reserve rise on 8–9 December at 76.8%.
Source published · In the Daily Brief of 9 November 2026
US employers added 165,000 jobs in October, against Reuters-polled forecasts of 65,000, and the unemployment rate fell to 4.1% from 4.2%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Friday 6 November. September was revised up to 60,000 from 29,000. Average hourly earnings rose 0.4% on the month and 3.1% on the year. Professional and business services added 70,000 jobs and health care 42,000.
The Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate at 3.75–4% on 28 October and has kept open the possibility of further rises under chair Kevin Warsh. The CME FedWatch tool put the probability of a quarter-point rise at the 8–9 December meeting at 76.8% after the data. The 10-year Treasury yield closed at 4.86% on Friday.