U.S. Economy Adds 57,000 Jobs in June, Half the Forecast Total

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. economy added 57,000 jobs in June, roughly half the amount analysts had forecast. The figure marked a slowdown from prior months and coincided with downward revisions to earlier data.

The unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent. Newsweek reported that the decline occurred mainly because workers left the labor force rather than because employers hired more people. Financial activities and information sectors together cut about 150,000 positions in 2026, an average of 25,000 roles per month.

A Goldman Sachs report cited by MarketWatch placed those same sectors among the leaders in AI adoption, along with professional services and education. Challenger, Gray & Christmas said AI was the most frequently cited reason for layoff announcements in 2026.

The firm recorded 14,029 AI-linked cuts in June, equal to 31 percent of all announced layoffs that month, and 101,743 such announcements for the year to date.

Meta and Microsoft each pointed to greater investment in AI when they announced sizable job reductions earlier in 2026. Challenger, Gray & Christmas stated there is still no statistically significant link between the technology and the national unemployment rate.