U.S. labor market slows with midterms on the horizon — Live Feedhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/u-s-labor-market-slows-with-midterms-on-the-horizonContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. U.S. September Job Growth Misses Expectations as Unemployment Riseshttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/u-s-labor-market-slows-with-midterms-on-the-horizonhttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/u-s-labor-market-slows-with-midterms-on-the-horizon#u104367Mon, 05 Oct 2026 23:36:49 +0000The U.S. labor market slowed in September, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by only 29,000. This growth was lower than expected, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.2%. The soft data has led market participants to bet that the Federal Reserve will skip a planned rate hike in October. While some analysts suggest the labor market remains stable, the slowdown occurs just one month before the midterm elections, prompting Democratic leaders to criticize the economic agenda of Donald Trump.Why it mattersEmployment data serves as a primary indicator of economic health and influences Federal Reserve m