There was surprising strength in the latest U.S. jobs report. Employers added 172,000 jobs in May, the third straight month of job gains. Overall, the labor market appears strong despite concerns about the Iran war, rising prices and artificial intelligence. Amna Nawaz speaks with Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, a multinational accounting and advisory firm, for more analysis.

With economic uncertainty from the Iran war, businesses are likely to pull back further on hiring intentions. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

"The data doesn't back it up," says Employ America's Skanda Amarnath, who sees backfilling behind a labor market that's stabilizing.

The American job market has climbed out of a rut

U.S. employers added a surprising 172,000 jobs in May as the labor market continued to show resilience in the face of rising costs from the Iran war.

Economists project the U.S. added 80,000 jobs in May, with the unemployment rate at a low 4.3%.

The report beat expectations, in good news for Trump. Forecasters had expected payroll job growth to slow to 85,000 in the month.

The labor market continues to show strength despite rising inflation and concerns about slowing economic growth.

Hiring has proven unexpectedly resilient in recent months.

The labor market is strengthening after months of lackluster jobs growth,

The job market has been recovering this year from a miserable 2025, so far shrugging off higher energy prices and increased economic uncertainty since the U.S. and Israel attacked…

The job market has been recovering this year from a miserable 2025, so far shrugging off higher energy prices and increased economic uncertainty since the U.S. and Israel attacked…

The labor market has been growing at a stable but slower pace in 2026, but job gains in May were far stronger than expected.

Hiring has bounced back this year from a miserable 2025, showing unexpected strength in the face of economic uncertainty and painfully high energy prices caused by the Iran war.

The American job market continues to show surprising strength, shrugging off the high costs of the Iran war

There's no doubt that 172,000 payrolls added in May blew past expectations. But you have to look closely at where they were added.

Friday's jobs report confirms the U.S. jobs market is healing from its dismal hiring stretch.

May Jobs Growth Puts U.S. on a Strong Hiring Streak

Government figures show unemployment rate at 4.3% amid rising inflation and economic uncertainty from Iran war

Americans say it's tough to find a job, but employers just added a surprisingly strong 172,000 new hires in May.

There was surprising strength in the latest U.S. jobs report. Employers added 172,000 jobs in May, the third straight month of job gains. Overall, the labor market appears strong…