The job market in 2026 will suffer from ‘uncomfortably slow growth’ in the first half but reverse higher later in the year, JPMorgan says

The labor market cooled during a rollercoaster year for the economy and financial markets, and 2026 should start off slow but then improve later in the year, according to JPMorgan.

In a forecast published earlier this month, economists at the bank attributed 2025’s loss of jobs momentum to business uncertainty created by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade policies.

“As a result both long-term and short-term business planning has remained difficult, and layoff and hiring rates have been low,” Michael Feroli...