July jobs report becomes key test of a cooling U.S. labor market

The Bureau of Labor Statistics scheduled the July 2026 Employment Situation report for 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on Friday, Aug. 7. The report was expected to update national payroll employment, unemployment, labor-force participation, hours and wages.

The release was expected to show whether the labor market continued to cool after slower hiring in prior months. Forecasts could frame expectations, but they could not establish the July payroll change, unemployment rate or revisions.

Before the release, the only confirmed news was the publication schedule. Forecasts and market expectations were not substitutes for the official figures, and a longer article would have required the completed BLS report. The next scheduled Employment Situation report, covering August, is due Sept. 4.