Is the hot labor market strengthening or weakening? Or doing both at the same time?
The U.S. added 372,000 jobs in June while the unemployment rate remained at a low 3.6% for the fourth month in a row, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. The strong employment growth surpassed many economists’ forecasts and indicated that demand for workers remains high.
But cracks are emerging in select spots. U.S. companies announced over 32,000 layoffs in June, a sharp increase from May and the highest monthly total since February 2021, according to global placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The deepest cuts were in the automotive sector, followed by entertainment-leisure and real estate.