U.S. unemployment falls in June to 4.2% with the creation of 57,000 jobs

Washington.- The unemployment rate in the U.S. fell by one-tenth to 4.2% in June, when 57,000 jobs were created, well below the forecasts of about 110,000 jobs estimated by experts, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Thursday.

In the sixth month of the year, gains were recorded in professional and business services, social assistance, and healthcare, according to BLS data, which also show losses in the leisure and hospitality sector, a trend that is noteworthy during the celebration of the World Cup in several U.S. cities.

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The employment figures for April (148,000) and May (129,000) were revised downward, with a combined reduction of 74,000 jobs compared to the initial reports.

In total, the number of unemployed people in June stood at about 7.1 million, a drop from the 7.3 million the previous month.

Teenagers (14.6%) and African Americans (6.6%) remain the most affected by unemployment. The unemployment rate increased for Hispanics (5.2%) and Asians (3.9%) and decreased slightly among adult women (3.7%).

In June, employment in professional and business services continued its upward trend, with an increase of 36,000 jobs, while social assistance added 25,000 positions, mainly in individual and family services.

The healthcare sector also continued its upward trend (22,000), but at a slower pace than the monthly average of the previous 12 months (38,000). Last month, hospitals added 9,000 jobs.

In contrast, employment in the leisure and hospitality sector broke its streak of increases in June, when it decreased by 61,000 jobs, reflecting lower-than-usual seasonal hiring, according to the BLS.

During the sixth month of 2026, employment showed little or no change in other major industries such as mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and retail trade.

It also did not vary significantly in the areas of transportation and storage, information, financial activities, and Government.

Unemployment, along with inflation and gross domestic product (GDP), are key indicators for the Federal Reserve (Fed) in its monetary policy decisions.

The Fed kept interest rates stable in the 3.5 to 3.75% range in June, following the first meeting led by the new central bank chairman, Kevin Warsh.