Trump gets major jobs report boost after midterms rattle markets

Newsweek · Hugh Cameron · 2026-11-06 13:37 UTC

The Labor Department figures were more than twice as strong as analysts had expected before Friday's report.

The latest employment numbers from the Department of Labor show that the U.S. jobs market may be on stronger footing than believed just prior to the midterms.

On Friday morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced that the economy had added 165,000 jobs in October, up from September’s originally reported total of 29,000. Ahead of the release, analyst forecasts pointed to the addition of 65,000 jobs—considered weak by recent historical standards.

September's total was revised up by 31,000 to 60,000, and August's by 53,000 to 186,000—meaning the past two months' results were 84,000 stronger than previously believed.

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