Employers added 172,000 jobs in May, blowing past expectations

MoneyWatch Employers added 172,000 jobs in May as labor market continues to blow past expectations .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Mary Cunningham Mary Cunningham Reporter, MoneyWatch Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. She previously worked at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program. Read Full Bio Mary Cunningham June 5, 2026 / 8:35 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Employers added 172,000 jobs in May, topping analyst forecasts, as the labor market continued to show strength despite rising inflation and concerns about slowing economic growth.By the numbersEconomists polled by FactSet predicted that the economy would gain 105,000 jobs in May.The latest employment data from the Labor Department follows two months of strong payroll gains. The unemployment rate in May was 4.3%, unchanged from in April.The job market continued to expand in May despite rising price pressures from the Iran war. Inflation is now at the highest level in almost three years as the conflict in the Middle East squeezes global energy supplies.—This is breaking news and will be updated. Edited by Aimee Picchi In: United States Department of Labor Jobless Claims Bureau of Labor Statistics © 2026 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.