NFP Release Dates 2026: Jobs Report Schedule & Market Impact
Nonfarm payrolls is the monthly Employment Situation report from the BLS. It is the highest-impact recurring US macro release for FX and gold because it updates both growth and labor-market tightness in one print.
What it is
The report covers net change in nonfarm payroll employment, the unemployment rate, average hourly earnings, and labor-force participation. Consensus focuses on the headline payroll number and average earnings growth.
Why traders care
The Fed watches employment alongside inflation. Strong payrolls with sticky wage growth support hawkish policy and a firmer dollar; weak hiring revives cut bets and tends to lift gold while pressuring the cyclical equity trade.
Release schedule
First Friday of each month for the prior month, unless delayed by holidays.
Typical time: 12:30 UTC (08:30 ET during US daylight saving)
All 2026 NFP dates
Every scheduled NFP release for 2026, from the official calendar. Upcoming dates also appear on our live economic calendar with forecasts and market impact notes.
| Date | Release |
|---|---|
| Fri, 9 Jan 2026 | December 2025 jobs report |
| Wed, 11 Feb 2026 | January 2026 jobs report (delayed from Feb 6 by the government shutdown) |
| Fri, 6 Mar 2026 | February 2026 jobs report |
| Fri, 3 Apr 2026 | March 2026 jobs report |
| Fri, 8 May 2026 | April 2026 jobs report (second Friday) |
| Fri, 5 Jun 2026 | May 2026 jobs report |
| Thu, 2 Jul 2026 | June 2026 jobs report (Thursday, ahead of the July 4 holiday) |
| Fri, 7 Aug 2026Next | July 2026 jobs report |
| Fri, 4 Sept 2026 | August 2026 jobs report |
| Fri, 2 Oct 2026 | September 2026 jobs report |
| Fri, 6 Nov 2026 | October 2026 jobs report |
| Fri, 4 Dec 2026 | November 2026 jobs report |
Assets most affected
Frequently asked questions
What time is the jobs report released?
NFP is published at 08:30 AM Eastern Time, which is 12:30 UTC during US daylight saving and 13:30 UTC in winter. It is the most volatile scheduled moment of the month for USD pairs and gold.
Is NFP always on the first Friday?
Usually, but not always. In 2026 the January report was delayed to February 11 by the government shutdown, the April report landed on the second Friday (May 8), and the June report came out Thursday July 2 ahead of the July 4 holiday.
What numbers matter most in the report?
Markets react to the headline payrolls change versus consensus, the unemployment rate, and average hourly earnings. Revisions to the prior two months often move prices as much as the headline number.
Full trading playbook:
Read the NFP guide →Recent releases
Actual: +57K · forecast ~+115K
View on calendar →