Durable-goods manufacturing adds 18,000 jobs in July, its strongest monthly gain in years

Durable-goods manufacturing reported an addition of 18,000 jobs in July, the strongest monthly gain in years, with motor vehicles and parts contributing 7,900 positions. Other sectors adding jobs included machinery (2,600), fabricated metals (2,500) and computers and electronics, notably 1,700 semiconductor roles. The first four months of the year saw 28,000 new jobs, while the three-month span from May to July delivered 44,000, more than twice the earlier hiring rate.

Throughout 2026, durable-goods payrolls have increased each month, totaling 72,000 new jobs and averaging above 10,000 per month. Output data from the Federal Reserve show a 3.2% rise in durable-goods production through June and a 5.8% increase since January 2025, with output per worker up 5.9%. Workers logged longer weeks and earned 4.7% higher hourly wages, outpacing overall private-sector earnings growth.