Home / Market Update / Commodities / US September NFP Beats — but Unemployment Ticks Up

US September NFP Beats — but Unemployment Ticks Up

Nonfarm Payrolls +119K in September (consensus +50K), after August was revised down to –4K from +22K.

Key details:

  • Unemployment rate: 4.4% (from 4.3%).
  • Labor force participation: 62.4% (from 62.3%).
  • Avg. hourly earnings (YoY): 3.8% (unchanged; est. 3.7%).
  • Revisions: July –7K to +72K; August –26K to –4K ⇒ net –33K over the two months.

Why it’s mixed:

  • Positive: Payrolls beat.
  • Negative: Higher unemployment and downward revisions.
  • Wages: Stable at 3.8%—not hot enough to force hikes, not cool enough to guarantee a cut.

Market implications (fast):

  • USD: Choppy—jobs beat vs. higher unemployment/revisions.
  • Treasury yields: Front-end biased higher on the beat; long end sensitive to the softer labor tone.
  • Gold: Could bounce if “softer labor” narrative dominates; fades if focus shifts to the headline beat.
  • Equities: Mixed; growth/tech may like tame wages, but a delayed Fed cut narrative can cap gains.
  • FX pairs:
    • EUR/USD: Slight upside if market leans into the unemployment/revisions story.
    • GBP/USD: Tracks overall risk tone.
    • USD/JPY: Follows U.S. yields; higher yields support the pair.

What to watch next:

  • Sector breakdown & average weekly hours to gauge job quality.
  • Upcoming inflation prints to confirm real wage trends.
  • December Fed call: Still uncertain—this report alone doesn’t clinch a cut.

Check Also

What to expect from US employment data (September 2025)

The First Batch of Core Employment Data (NFP) Is Released After the Government Shutdown This …