US manufacturing jobs rise 16,000 in August labour report

The US labour market added 162,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in August, while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 per cent, official data for September 4, 2026 showed, giving apparel and textile sourcing teams a fresh read on factory hiring, construction-linked capacity and wage pressure in a key consumer and supply market.

Manufacturing employment continued its upward trend with 16,000 jobs added in August and was up by 58,000 from a recent low in December 2025. Machinery manufacturing and fabricated metal product manufacturing each continued to trend up, adding 6,000 jobs, while construction changed little at 22,000 jobs added.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said total nonfarm payroll gains in August were above the average monthly increase of 31,000 over the prior 12 months. Employment rose in food services and drinking places and local government education, while the information industry lost jobs.

US nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, with manufacturing adding 16,000 jobs and construction up 22,000.
The unemployment rate held at 4.1 per cent, while labour force participation edged up to 61.6 per cent and part-time for economic reasons fell.
Average hourly earnings rose to $37.75, a wage signal for apparel and retail sourcing teams tracking US labour costs.

The BLS said the release draws on two monthly surveys: the household survey, which measures labour force status including unemployment by demographic characteristics, and the establishment survey, which measures nonfarm employment, hours and earnings by industry.

In the household survey, the number of unemployed people was little changed at 7.0 million. The unemployment rate for Asian workers declined to 3.2 per cent, the teenage rate edged up to 14.1 per cent, and jobless rates showed little change for adult men at 4.0 per cent, adult women at 3.5 per cent, White workers at 3.7 per cent, Black workers at 6.0 per cent and Hispanic workers at 4.8 per cent.

The number of long-term unemployed, defined as people jobless for 27 weeks or more, changed little at 1.9 million and accounted for 27.0 per cent of all unemployed people. The labour force participation rate edged up to 61.6 per cent but was down by 0.5 percentage point since January, while the employment-population ratio changed little at 59.1 per cent.

The number of people employed part time for economic reasons decreased by 414,000 to 4.4 million. The number of people not in the labour force who wanted a job changed little at 5.7 million; amongst them, 1.7 million were marginally attached to the labour force and 441,000 discouraged workers believed no jobs were available for them.

Employment showed little change in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation and warehousing; financial activities; professional and business services; social assistance; and other services.

Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 10 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $37.75 in August, and were up by 3.1 per cent over the year. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 11 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to $32.53.

The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls edged up by 0.1 hour to 34.4 hours. In manufacturing, the average workweek edged up by 0.1 hour to 40.5 hours, while overtime was unchanged at 3.1 hours.

In a White House statement, spokesman Kush Desai said the US added 162,000 jobs in August, described as nearly triple economists’ expectations, and that the private sector had created more than one million jobs in President Donald J Trump’s second term.

The White House said federal employment remained at its lowest share of the workforce on record.

The White House also characterised the 16,000 manufacturing gain as the strongest monthly increase in three years and said manufacturers had added 58,000 jobs this year, driven by demand for pharmaceutical and defence production, data centre construction and semiconductor plants. It said factory construction jobs were up nearly 100,000 in President Trump’s second term and that private-sector workers’ average weekly earnings were up 3.7 per cent over the year.

The White House added that the labour force participation increased at its strongest level in almost a year, college graduate unemployment remained at 2.7 per cent, and Black unemployment posted a second monthly decline.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)

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If Tariffs Rise, These U.S. Manufacturing Stocks Could Benefit

With the U.S. trade agenda back in the spotlight, proposed new tariffs of 10% to 37.5% on imports from dozens of key partners are putting fresh attention on companies that actually make things inside the country. For investors, this kind of policy shift can reshape cost structures, supply chains and pricing power, creating potential winners and laggards. This article looks at 3 U.S. domestic manufacturing stocks that are exposed to these tariff headlines and that may be affected if production tilts further toward local factories. Keep reading to see which 3 stocks make the list and why they matter now.

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Packaging Corporation of America (PKG)

Overview: Packaging Corporation of America manufactures containerboard, corrugated boxes and displays used to ship and merchandise consumer and industrial goods, and also produces office, printing and specialty papers across North America.

Operations: The company generates the bulk of its US$9.2b revenue from Packaging at about US$8.5b, with a smaller Paper segment at about US$621m and other corporate items offset by intersegment eliminations.

Market Cap: US$19.9b

Investors looking at U.S. focused manufacturing stocks may want to pay attention to Packaging Corporation of America, which sits at the intersection of strong pricing power in everyday packaging, a recent 20% dividend hike and a business model that leans on largely domestic mills and box plants, potentially limiting tariff exposure as trade costs rise. At the same time, the company is managing high debt levels, a P/E that is above sector averages and earnings that recently declined, all while demand and input costs stay in focus. The key consideration is whether current pricing, cash flow potential and tariff insulation are enough to outweigh those risks and justify a closer look at the company.

Pricing power, a 20% dividend hike and mostly domestic operations make Packaging Corporation of America look more resilient than it first appears, but the full story sits in the 3 key rewards and 2 important warning signs

NYSE:PKG P/E Ratio as at Jun 2026

Steel Dynamics (STLD)

Overview: Steel Dynamics is a U.S. based steel producer and metal recycler that makes flat rolled and long steel products, building components and recycled aluminum, serving construction, automotive, manufacturing, transportation, energy and industrial customers.

Operations: Steel Dynamics generates most of its US$19.0b in revenue from Steel Operations at about US$13.9b, alongside Metals Recycling at about US$4.4b, Steel Fabrication at about US$1.4b and Aluminum at about US$0.6b, with smaller other items and eliminations.

Market Cap: US$39.7b

Steel Dynamics sits at the center of several themes for domestic manufacturing investors, combining a largely U.S. production footprint with exposure to tariffs that can make imported steel less competitive and support pricing for local mills. The company pairs steel and aluminum production with integrated recycling, which can help manage raw material costs and appeal to customers focused on lower carbon materials. Recent results show earnings per share and higher shipments. At the same time, the stock trades on a relatively rich P/E, relies on external borrowing and faces cyclicality in construction and manufacturing demand, as well as policy risk if tariff regimes change. The focus for investors is how these positive and negative factors may affect future earnings power and valuation.

Steel Dynamics’ earnings and shipments are moving, but the real story sits in how investors are pricing that relatively rich P/E against future tariff and demand swings that could reshape its analysis report for Steel Dynamics

NasdaqGS:STLD P/E Ratio as at Jun 2026

Deere (DE)

Overview: Deere & Company manufactures and finances agricultural, construction and forestry equipment worldwide, supplying everything from row crop tractors and harvesters to lawn care, roadbuilding machinery and related parts and services.

Operations: Deere generates most of its revenue from equipment, with about US$17.1b from Production & Precision Agriculture, US$13.2b from Construction & Forestry, US$11.4b from Small Ag & Turf and US$6.2b from Financial Services, offset by smaller intersegment and other items.

Market Cap: US$158.8b

Deere is drawing attention because it ties together high tech precision agriculture, a growing construction and forestry arm and a financing unit that keeps equipment sales moving. At the same time, tariffs and “buy American” policies put extra focus on companies that build a lot inside the U.S. More than 75% of its domestic sales are assembled locally, tariff refunds are helping offset higher import costs, and demand for construction and roadbuilding equipment linked to data centers and infrastructure is helping to counter a softer large farm cycle. At the same time, debt funded Financial Services, tariff uncertainty and weaker North American ag demand keep risk firmly on the table, which makes Deere a stock where the details really matter.

Deere’s mix of precision ag, construction gear and financing looks like a growth engine hiding in plain sight. The real twist shows up in the analyst forecasts for Deere investors keep overlooking

NYSE:DE Earnings & Revenue History as at Jun 2026

The 3 stocks in this list are a starting point, but the full U.S. Domestic Manufacturing Stocks screener surfaces 44 more U.S. focused manufacturers with equally compelling stories around tariffs, reshoring and domestic production. Use Simply Wall St to analyze, filter and identify the specific catalysts and narratives that match your highest conviction ideas so you can focus on the opportunities that fit your own approach.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data
and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your
financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data.
Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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US manufacturing growth set to cool as stockpiling fades, inflation risks rise: Report

ANI |
Updated: Jun 01, 2026 21:01 IST

New Delhi [India], June 1 (ANI): US manufacturing’s headline strength masks a fragile near-term outlook, with growth expected to slow once current stockpiling runs its course and inflation pressures intensify, S&P Global said in a report on Monday.
“The headline PMI has hit a four-year high, with strong factory production growth for a second successive month,” said Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
“But since the outbreak of war in the Middle East we have seen production and demand buoyed by stock building as companies worry over rising prices and supply difficulties. This stockpiling was again widely evident in May and makes it hard to take an accurate reading on the underlying health of the manufacturing economy, as growth will cool once this stock build has run its course.” Williamson added that “the resulting steep jump in producer costs sends a worrying signal that broader economy inflation has further to rise in the coming months.”

May’s seasonally adjusted S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI rose to 55.1 from 54.5 in April, the highest since May 2022 and the 10th straight month above 50. The upturn was led by production, which grew at the sharpest pace since April 2022. New orders also increased markedly, though growth was softer than in April and largely driven by clients building inventory ahead of expected price hikes and delays. Exports fell for the 11th month in a row as geopolitical instability and tariffs weighed on foreign sales.
Stock building showed up across the supply chain. Firms added to finished goods inventories for the second month running at the quickest pace since last November, while purchasing activity rose solidly to mitigate further price increases and disruption. Input stocks rose for the second successive month at the fastest rate since May 2025.
Price and supply pressures intensified. Manufacturing input costs rose at the fastest rate in nearly four years, driven by fuel and oil-related products, pushing the Input Prices index to its highest since July 2022. Supplier delivery times deteriorated to the greatest extent since August 2022, with the Strait of Hormuz closure adding to delays. Manufacturers passed costs on, raising output charges at the steepest rate since September 2022.
Employment saw a modest uptick, the best in five months, as firms hired on expectations of higher sales over 12 months. But confidence softened to a four-month low amid geopolitical concerns and higher inflation. (ANI)

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U.S. Manufacturing Expands as Supply Chain Pressures Rise

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — U.S. manufacturing activity expanded in May at its fastest pace in four years as companies increased inventories ahead of potential supply disruptions and rising costs tied to the war with Iran, according to S&P Global data.

S&P Global’s flash U.S. manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 55.3 in May from 54.5 in April, marking the strongest reading since May 2022. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.

The increase was driven largely by manufacturers building inventories to protect against possible shortages, higher prices and supply chain disruptions. Input inventories climbed to an 11-month high, while supplier delivery times worsened as companies accelerated purchasing activity.

S&P Global said factory input costs reached their highest level since June 2022, while manufacturers also raised output prices.

Manufacturing employment increased modestly.

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