The job market in 2026 will suffer from 'uncomfortably slow growth' in the first half but reverse higher later in the year, JPMorgan says

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The labor market cooled during a rollercoaster year for the economy and financial markets, and 2026 should start off slow but then improve later in the year, according to JPMorgan.

In a forecast published earlier this month, economists at the bank attributed 2025’s loss of jobs momentum to business uncertainty created by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade policies.