WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the April jobs report at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, May 8, 2026. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect the report to show 55,000 jobs added in April and an unemployment rate of 4.3%.

Dow Jones-surveyed economists also expect average hourly earnings to increase from an annual rate of 3.5% in March to 3.8% in April. Three of the last five monthly jobs reports showed contractions in hiring.

Forecasts among major banks vary. Economists at Citigroup expect a net loss of 15,000 jobs in April's report, while analysts at Bank of America project that 80,000 positions were added. A separate forecast expects the U.S. labor market added 67,000 positions in April.

Bank of America analysts expect education and health to continue leading job gains in April's report. Warm weather historically increases employment in the leisure and hospitality, construction, and transportation sectors.

Ahead of Friday's release, U.S. ADP employment increased by 109,000 jobs in April 2026, compared with 99,000 expected.

The April jobs report will arrive as energy and consumer prices have risen. Oil prices are more than 50% higher since the start of 2026, and average retail gasoline prices are above $4.55 per gallon, a 50% increase since late February. Weekly U.S. crude oil inventories fell by 2.313 million barrels, against an expected decline of 3.291 million barrels. The U.S. consumer price index rose 0.9% from February to 3.3% in March 2026.

In March 2026, according to a research paper, the median lower-income U.S. household spent 4.2% of its income on gasoline, up from 3.9% a year earlier and above 2019 levels.