U.S. added 115K jobs in April, nearly doubling expectations

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email U.S. added 115K jobs in April, nearly doubling expectations The data comes ahead of what's expected to be a new Federal Reserve chairman taking the reins at the U.S. central bank later this month. By Krisztian Sandor | Edited by Stephen Alpher May 8, 2026, 12:33 p.m. 1 min read Make preferred on U.S. jobs data for April was released Friday (Getty images) The U.S. labor market continued to show at least modest strength in April, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The economy added 115,000 jobs during the month, well above economist expectations for 62,000, though down from 185,000 in March. The unemployment rate remained at 4.3% in line with forecasts. Bitcoin BTC $ 80,299.74 traded at $80,200 in the minutes after the release, roughly flat over the past 24 hours. The report arrives at a delicate moment for markets and policymakers. Last week, the Federal Reserve left its benchmark fed funds rate range unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, extending its holding pattern as officials weigh slowing economic growth against persistent inflation pressures. The data also comes ahead of a new chairman taking the reins at the Fed, with Kevin Warsh expected to soon be confirmed by the Senate to replace Jerome Powell later this month. Though off their highs, oil prices have remained elevated, with uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz keeping energy markets on edge. Higher crude prices risk feeding into headline inflation while also weighing on consumer spending and economic activity. A stronger-than-expected jobs report could reinforce the view that the economy remains resilient despite tighter financial conditions, potentially complicating the Fed’s path toward eventual rate cuts. A weaker reading, meanwhile, may strengthen expectations for policy easing later this year. Markets Breaking News More For You Bitcoin retreats below $80,000, liquidating $300 million in futures bets By Oliver Knight , Omkar Godbole | Edited by Jamie Crawley 2 hours ago BTC fell under $80,000 after U.S. strikes in Iran sent oil briefly above $100, triggering liquidations and a shift toward bearish positioning. What to know : Bitcoin dropped below $80,000 after fresh U.S. airstrikes in Iran sparked a surge in oil prices and a broader risk-off move across crypto markets. Crypto traders unwound leverage aggressively, with futures open interest falling 1.5%, nearly $300 million in liquidations, and options flow shifting toward protective BTC puts. Despite weakness... Read full story Latest Crypto News U.S. hiring slowdown could be great for bitcoin — unless wages spoil the party 1 hour ago Coinbase blames AWS for hours-long crypto trading outage 1 hour ago Bitcoin retreats below $80,000, liquidating $300 million in futures bets 2 hours ago Stablecoin card spend is growing 100% year over year, Rain exec says 2 hours ago Bitcoin shows 2-cent price on Revolut as users report apparent BTC display glitch 2 hours ago S&P 500 call options volume surges to record $2.6 trillion. Here's what it means for bitcoin 3 hours ago Top Stories Bitcoin slips to $79,000, DOGE leads majors losses as negative funding rates set 10-year record 7 hours ago AI agents could solve crypto’s user problem 7 hours ago Arbitrum approves $71 Million ETH release despite U.S. seizure fight 3 hours ago Bitcoin slips below $80,000: Why the 'Trump rally' is hitting a wall of profit-taking 4 hours ago Consensus panelists explain why Perp DEXes remain a tough sell for institutional investors 5 hours ago Donald Trump Jr. denies rumors World Liberty Financial is falling apart 18 hours ago In this article BTC BTC $ 80,299.74 ◢ 1.07 %