BLS data: US labor share falls to record low 52.8% in Q2 2026
Key points
- US labor share was 52.8% in Q2 2026, the lowest since records began in 1947
- It was 53.6% in the prior quarter
- Unemployment rose to 4.2% in September; 29,000 jobs were added
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' labor productivity and costs report, the US labor share fell to 52.8% in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest since BLS records began in 1947. It was 53.6% in the prior quarter. Fortune reports that unemployment rose to 4.2% in September and 29,000 jobs were added, about one-third of economists' projections.
Original report: Fortune ↗Edited with AI assistance. Facts are based on official sources and original reports.