10 things that mattered on Friday, September 4, 2026
Hiring picked up in August, while wage growth slowed to its lowest pace since 2021. Stocks slipped, and a regulator's posts knocked the credit bureaus and Fair Isaac hard.
- 01
Payrolls rose 162,000 in August
That was the biggest monthly gain since March and a clear pickup from 21,000 in July. The three months before August had averaged under 40,000.
Monthly payroll change (thousands), last five years Monthly payroll change (thousands), last five years - 02
Unemployment held at 4.1%
The jobless rate was unchanged from July, while labor-force participation rose to 61.6% from 61.4%. The broader U-6 rate, which counts part-timers who want more work, fell to 7.7% from 7.9%.
Unemployment rate (%), last five years Unemployment rate (%), last five years - 03
Wage growth slowed to 3.1%, the slowest since May 2021
Average hourly earnings rose to $37.75, up 3.1% from a year earlier and down from 3.2% in July. More hiring came with less pay pressure.
Average hourly earnings, year-over-year (%), last five years Average hourly earnings, year-over-year (%), last five years - 04
The S&P 500 fell 0.4% and sits 1.0% below its record
SPY closed at $770.19. The Nasdaq 100 edged up 0.2%, while the equal-weight S&P fell 0.5%.
SPY, last six months SPY, last six months - 05
Equifax and Fair Isaac fell after the FHFA director's posts
Bill Pulte wrote that the credit bureaus have been overcharging Americans and said FHFA is considering using fewer credit reports on mortgages. Equifax fell 6.4% after opening 11.2% lower, TransUnion lost 5.9% and Fair Isaac 16.7%.
EFX, last six months EFX, last six months - 06
Lululemon fell 17.4% after cutting its outlook
Revenue fell 4% and comparable sales dropped 9%, and full-year guidance now calls for a 5% to 7% revenue decline. The stock closed at $100.61, its lowest since 2018.
LULU, last six months LULU, last six months - 07
UiPath fell 16.6% after earnings
Revenue rose 13% to $410 million and annual recurring revenue grew 12%. Full-year guidance left the growth outlook unchanged, and the stock closed at $15.19.
PATH, last six months PATH, last six months - 08
Chip stocks rose 3.5%
The semiconductor fund SOXX closed at $519.86 on a day the S&P 500 fell. It is still 21% below its June 22 record.
SOXX (semiconductors), last six months SOXX (semiconductors), last six months - 09
The 10-year yield rose to 4.78% after the jobs report
The yield added about 2 basis points on the day. It remains just below Tuesday's close, which was the highest since January 2025.
10-year Treasury yield (%), last twelve months 10-year Treasury yield (%), last twelve months - 10
Due Tuesday: Casey's and ServiceTitan
Markets are closed Monday for Labor Day. Casey's, ServiceTitan and Braze report after Tuesday's close, and July consumer credit is also due.
Data as of the Friday, September 4, 2026 close. The ten items are picked by fixed rules from the site's daily data (the size of each move, signals that changed state, and economic releases weighted by importance), then checked and written by hand. Charts end on the brief's date. Research and education, not financial advice.