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Data from FRED. Forecasts by Sigmanomics Forecast Engine.
United StatesUS Total Nonfarm Payrolls held to 159,001 Thousands in April 2026
FREDMonthlyReleased May 2026
US Total Nonfarm Payrolls held to 159,001 Thousands in April 2026, released May 2026.
Latest Release
159001.000000
Actual
—
Consensus
159001.000000
Previous
Sigmacast Track Record
Sigmacast track record will appear here once this indicator has been released 3+ times since Sigmanomics began tracking.
Sigmacast Σ-direction model: consensus + ½ × mean(surprise, trailing 90d).
CORRELATED SYMBOLS— markets that historically move with this indicator
| Symbol | Direction | Correlation | Asset Class | Signal Bias | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD/JPY | ▲ Direct | +0.42 | FOREX | Bullish USD | → View |
| MSFT | ▼ Inverse | −0.35 | STOCKS | Bearish MSFT | → View |
| S&P 500 | ▲ Direct | +0.30 | INDEX | Bullish S&P 500 | → View |
Correlation based on 12-month rolling window. Click any symbol to view its Sigmanomics forecast page.
THE RELEASE
Total Nonfarm Payrolls (United States) was reported at 159,001.00 Thousands in April 2026. The reading was unchanged from the previous release. Over the past 12 months, the indicator has averaged 158,577.55 Thousands, ranging from 158,408.00 Thousands to 159,001.00 Thousands across 11 releases. This is classified as a critical-impact indicator released on a monthly basis.
WHY IT MATTERS
The indicator has been trending upward over the last three releases. The trailing three releases averaged 158,817.00 Thousands, up from the prior three at 158,494.33 Thousands. Volatility over the past year (σ 175.40 Thousands) is lower than the prior year (σ 268.90 Thousands). In May readings over the past 3 years, Total Nonfarm Payrolls has averaged 158,369.00 Thousands.
THE MODEL'S TAKE
Historically, this indicator is positively correlated with USD/JPY (Bullish USD). A secondary relationship exists with MSFT, negatively correlated (Bearish MSFT).
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
Same-country events in the next 14 days include Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (Jun 18) and Initial Jobless Claims (Jun 18).
Auto-generated from current model state · Refreshes on each release · Last update May 2026.
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Total Nonfarm Payrolls - US
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About Total Nonfarm Payrolls — United States
DEFINITION
US Total Nonfarm Payrolls rose to 159001.000000K in May, surpassing April’s 158829.000000K. This increase of 172,000 jobs signals continued labor market expansion from April to May. Market focus remains on upcoming Federal Reserve decisions amid steady job growth. Updated 6/6/26
WHY THIS INDICATOR MATTERS
Labor-market data shapes consumer-spending forecasts and is closely tracked by central banks assessing the output gap and wage-inflation pass-through. Releases in this category are tier-1 market events that frequently produce same-session cross-asset repricing. Released monthly.
WHAT CHANGED THIS MONTH
Latest reading (May 2026): actual 159,001 Thousands. Prior reading (Apr 2026): 158,829 Thousands. Before that (Mar 2026): 158,621 Thousands.
WHAT'S NEXT
Sigmacast's 1-month forecast points to a similar reading versus the latest print, with the 3-month outlook reinforcing that direction. Both horizons are aligned bullish for this indicator, suggesting a consistent trend signal. Trend-driven dynamics are the primary tailwind in the current projection. This indicator correlates most strongly with USD/JPY (Bullish USD, r=0.42) — a useful reference for forex-focused traders.