Factory Payrolls Rise a Fifth Month to 12.68 million

Factory Payrolls rose for a fifth straight month in October 2026, reaching 12.68 million, up 0.6% on the year.

consecutive increases: 5 months. from 12.60 million after May 2026 to 12.68 million

The run began after May 2026, when the series stood at 12.60 million — a climb of 0.7% over the streak.

A run this long changes how the next print reads: a decline would end a 5-month pattern and would be news in its own right, while a sixth consecutive increase would extend one of the longer streaks in this archive. Source: BLS Current Employment Statistics.