1156 ET - BofA predicts April's non-farm payrolls will grow by 80,000 and the unemployment rate will remain at 4.3%, with a risk of rounding down to 4.2%. Their forecast is higher than the consensus 55,000 reading that economists polled by The Wall Street Journal expect. "A 4.3% or lower u-rate would leave the Fed comfortably on hold in the near term amid rising inflation risks," they write. The bank added that uncertainty from the Iran war might weigh on hiring in the leisure and hospitality and trade and transport sectors. (jessica.coacci@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 05, 2026 11:56 ET (15:56 GMT)
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