The October jobs report comes out on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET, which is 1:30 p.m. in London and 2:30 p.m. in Paris and Berlin, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics release schedule. Most published forecasts point to a small rebound after September’s weak gain of 29,000 jobs, with estimates clustered between 50,000 and 75,000 and the unemployment rate near 4.2%.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the Employment Situation report for October at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, November 6, 2026.
- US employers added 29,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate rose to 4.2%, according to previews from TIOmarkets and Continuum Economics.
- Payroll firm ADP estimated on November 4 that private-sector payrolls grew by 86,000 in October.
When is the October jobs report released in your time zone?
The release is fixed at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Clocks changed on both sides of the Atlantic in the past two weeks (Europe on October 25, the US on November 1), so the usual five-hour gap between New York and London is back.
| Place | Local time on Friday, Nov. 6 |
|---|---|
| New York (ET) | 8:30 a.m. |
| Los Angeles (PT) | 5:30 a.m. |
| London (GMT) | 1:30 p.m. |
| Paris, Berlin (CET) | 2:30 p.m. |
The figures arrive one hour before the New York stock market opens. For European traders, they land in the middle of the afternoon session.
What do economists expect from the October jobs report?
Forecasters agree on a modest pickup, not a boom. Nonfarm payrolls, the headline number, count jobs added or lost across the economy outside farms, households and some nonprofits. Here is how several published previews compare.
| Forecaster | Payrolls | Unemployment | Reported by |
|---|---|---|---|
| EY-Parthenon | +74,000 (private +68,000) | 4.2% | U.S. News, Nov. 4 |
| Barclays | +50,000 | 4.1% | Kiplinger, Oct. 30 |
| Continuum Economics | +50,000 (private +45,000) | 4.2% | Continuum Economics, Oct. 25 |
| Forecast range compiled by TIOmarkets | about +65,000 (roughly 35,000 to 125,000) | 4.2% | TIOmarkets, Nov. 4 |
Pay is the other number to watch. TIOmarkets puts the expected yearly rise in average hourly earnings at 2.9%, down from 3.0%. Continuum Economics also sees slower pay growth, and it expects the average workweek to slip to 34.3 hours.
How weak was the September jobs report?
It was a clear miss. Payrolls grew by 29,000, against forecasts of about 90,000, TIOmarkets noted. July and August were also cut by a combined 60,000 in revisions. Before that, August had shown a gain of 133,000, according to Kiplinger and Continuum Economics.
Unemployment edged up to 4.2% from 4.1%. As a result, hiring averaged about 51,000 a month in the three months to September, by Continuum Economics’ count. That is why one more soft month would get attention.
What did other job data show this week?
The early signals were mostly firmer. ADP counted 86,000 new private-sector jobs in October, after 90,000 in September, U.S. News reported. Trade, transportation and utilities added 39,000, while education and health added 28,000.
- Job openings: the government’s survey showed 7.5 million openings in September, up from a revised 7.2 million in August.
- Vanguard: the fund group’s own estimate, built from 401(k) data, showed 115,000 jobs added in October.
- Growth: the economy grew at a 3.4% annual rate in the third quarter, up from 2.2% in the second, according to the government’s first estimate.
Weekly jobless claims are also due on Thursday, November 5, at 8:30 a.m. ET. Keep in mind that ADP and the government measure jobs in different ways, so their counts often disagree.
Why does the October jobs report matter for the Fed?
It is one of the last big data points before the Federal Reserve meets again on December 9. The Fed held its benchmark rate at 3.75% to 4.00% on October 28, and two officials dissented in favor of a hike. Kiplinger named them as Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack and Governor Lisa Cook.
Barclays economist Marc Giannoni wrote that 50,000 jobs with slightly lower unemployment would keep a December hike “in play,” Kiplinger reported. A second weak month, on the other hand, could make officials more cautious. In Europe, the ECB held its deposit rate at 2.50% on October 29, and you can read our ECB decision explainer. The Bank of England announces its own decision on Thursday, November 5, at 12:00 GMT; our Bank of England preview has the details. This week’s post-election moves are covered in our midterm market rally report, and more is in our business news section.
How can you follow the markets live?
US business channels cover the October jobs report live and break down the numbers as they arrive. Our CNBC live stream guide and Fox Business live stream guide list the official ways to watch. For a global angle, see the Bloomberg TV live guide, and for free market headlines the CNBC Ambition channel.
Coming soon: the NewsLive streaming app. We’re building one subscription for live international news on Android, Roku, Fire TV and desktop. The service is under development. See what the NewsLive app will offer and join the early-access list.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the October jobs report come out?
At 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, November 6, 2026. That is 1:30 p.m. GMT in London and 2:30 p.m. CET in Paris and Berlin.
Is the October jobs report the same as the ADP report?
No. ADP is a private payroll firm that published its own October estimate on November 4. The official report comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and also includes the unemployment rate.
When is the next jobs report after this one?
The November report is scheduled for Friday, December 4, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. ET, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This article explains scheduled economic data. It is not investment advice.
