By Jessica Coacci
A reading of the U.S. labor market from The Conference Board rose in April, reflecting a relatively healthy labor market despite economic uncertainty amid the war in Iran, a gauge of employment showed.
The Employment Trends Index, or ETI, rose to 105.77 in April, from a downwardly revised reading of 105.52 in March.
"The index's recent stability is a notable break from the ETI's downward drift throughout 2025," said Mitchell Barnes, an economist at The Conference Board.
When the ETI increases, employment is likely to increase as well, while turning points in the index suggest a change in the number of jobs is likely to occur in the short term.
The share of consumers who report "jobs are hard to get" declined to its lowest level since the start of the year, the survey said. The share of small firms reporting that jobs are "not able to be filled right now" rose to its highest level since June 2025.
Meanwhile, initial jobless claims continued to fall from 2025 levels and reached near-historic lows at the end of April, the survey said. Employment in the temporary help services industry also rose in April. The only negative contribution came from the share of involuntary part-time workers, which rose slightly above its 2025 average.
Write to Jessica Coacci at jessica.coacci@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
05-11-26 1037ET
