Traders and investors are preparing for a congested economic calendar on Friday, May 8, 2026, with a cluster of labor-market and consumer-survey releases set to influence market positioning. The monthly employment report - which contains nonfarm payrolls, the headline unemployment rate and readings on average hourly earnings - is the focal point. Later in the morning, the University of Michigan will publish its consumer sentiment index and related subcomponents, offering a picture of household attitudes toward current and expected economic conditions.
Why the day matters
These releases are closely watched because they provide contemporaneous information about the strength of the labor market and the outlook of consumers, two pieces of the macro puzzle that feed into decisions by businesses and investors. Nonfarm payrolls are a primary gauge of employment gains outside of agriculture and are used as an input to assess potential consumer spending trends. The unemployment rate quantifies the share of the labor force actively seeking work, while average hourly earnings indicate changes in labor costs faced by employers.
Major economic events to monitor
- 7:30 AM ET - Nonfarm Payrolls (Forecast: 65K, Previous: 178K) - Tracks the monthly change in the number of people employed outside the farming sector.
- 7:30 AM ET - Unemployment Rate (Forecast: 4.3%, Previous: 4.3%) - Measures the percentage of the labor force that is unemployed and actively seeking employment during the prior month.
- 7:30 AM ET - Average Hourly Earnings (Forecast: 0.3%, Previous: 0.2%) - A monthly change reading that captures shifts in the price businesses pay for labor, excluding agricultural workers.
The morning’s primary labor releases are complemented by several other payroll and labor-supply metrics published at the same 7:30 AM ET slot. The calendar includes private payrolls, government payrolls, manufacturing payrolls and measures related to average weekly hours and broader unemployment definitions.
Additional scheduled U.S. data and events
- 6:30 AM ET - Fed Governor Bowman speaks - Public remarks by Federal Reserve Board Governor Michelle W. Bowman are scheduled ahead of the jobs prints. Comments from FOMC members are often scanned for clues about policy inclination.
- 7:30 AM ET - Private Nonfarm Payrolls (Forecast: 73K, Previous: 186K) - Measures the monthly change in paid U.S. private-sector employment, excluding government, private household, nonprofit and farm employees.
- 7:30 AM ET - Participation Rate (Previous: 61.9%) - Reports the share of the working-age population that is either working or looking for work, an indicator of available labor supply.
- 7:30 AM ET - Government Payrolls (Previous: -8.0K) - Tracks the monthly change in the number of government employees on payrolls.
- 7:30 AM ET - Manufacturing Payrolls (Forecast: 5K, Previous: 15K) - Captures the change in the number of manufacturing-sector employees on establishment payrolls.
- 7:30 AM ET - Average Weekly Hours (Previous: 34.2) - Measures the average number of hours worked by employees on nonfarm payrolls.
- 7:30 AM ET - U6 Unemployment Rate (Previous: 8.0%) - Presents a broader unemployment metric that includes persons marginally attached to the labor force and those employed part time for economic reasons.
Michigan survey and inflation expectations
- 9:00 AM ET - Michigan Consumer Sentiment (Forecast: 49.7, Previous: 49.8) - The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index rates households’ perceived current and expected economic conditions based on a monthly survey of roughly 500 consumers.
- 9:00 AM ET - Michigan Consumer Expectations (Previous: 48.1) - The expectations component of the Michigan index, based on standard questions about future economic conditions.
- 9:00 AM ET - Michigan Current Conditions (Previous: 52.5) - The current conditions subindex, derived from questions about present economic circumstances.
- 9:00 AM ET - Michigan 1-Year Inflation Expectations (Previous: 4.7%) - Median consumer expectations for price changes over the next 12 months.
- 9:00 AM ET - Michigan 5-Year Inflation Expectations (Previous: 3.5%) - Median consumer expectations for price changes over the next five years.
Other macro and market-flow items on the schedule
- 10:30 AM ET - Atlanta Fed GDPNow (Forecast: 3.7%, Previous: 3.7%) - A running estimate of real GDP growth for the current measured quarter based on incoming data.
- 12:00 PM ET - Baker Hughes U.S. Rig Count (Previous: 408) - A weekly count of active drilling rigs in the United States, used as a barometer for drilling activity and crude demand.
- 12:00 PM ET - U.S. Baker Hughes Total Rig Count (Previous: 547) - The total active rig count across rigs drilling for oil and gas in the U.S.
Friday also brings the weekly CFTC Commitments of Traders breakdown for a range of futures markets. These reports, released at 2:30 PM ET, present speculative net positions that market participants watch for shifts in positioning across commodities and equity futures.
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Gold speculative positions (Previous: 159.6K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Crude Oil speculative positions (Previous: 191.9K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC S&P 500 speculative positions (Previous: -101.4K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Nasdaq 100 speculative positions (Previous: -2.3K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Natural Gas speculative positions (Previous: -166.3K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Silver speculative positions (Previous: 24.2K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Copper speculative positions (Previous: 63.3K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Soybeans speculative positions (Previous: 193.9K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Corn speculative positions (Previous: 340.7K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Wheat speculative positions (Previous: 0.9K)
- 2:30 PM ET - CFTC Aluminium speculative net positions (Previous: -0.0K)
Fed speakers and late-day appearances
The day’s schedule also includes a slate of Fed-related public appearances, with speakers spanning the Board and several regional Fed presidents. Market participants often scan these remarks for nuance on monetary policy. The roster for the day includes later appearances at 6:30 PM ET by Fed Governor Christopher Waller, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee, San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly and an evening appearance by Fed Governor Michelle W. Bowman. Earlier in the day, Fed Governor Lisa Cook is also slated to speak at 4:45 AM ET.
Market context in the run-up
The calendar page that accompanies the day’s economic flow includes intraday price markers and index references, reflecting the cross-section of markets that may be affected by the releases. Tickers and shorthand that are visible alongside this preview include symbols such as NDX, US500, GC, HG, SI, CL, NG, ZS, ZW, ZC and MAL. These reflect attention across equities benchmarks and a range of commodity instruments that may respond to shifts in economic data or speculative positioning.
How participants are likely to use the prints
Investors and market strategists typically use the jobs report and consumer sentiment readings as inputs to broader assessments of demand and inflationary pressure. Wage readings - presented in both a monthly change series and a year-over-year series in the schedule - are among the inputs used to consider wage-driven price pressures. The Michigan survey’s current-conditions and expectations subindexes, together with short- and medium-run inflation expectations, are another lens on household sentiment that can influence consumption patterns.
Where to follow updates
Market participants seeking continual updates on the timing and final prints commonly follow economic calendars and intraday data feeds for live releases and near-real-time market reaction. For those tracking the full slate of releases and subsequent market responses, an economic calendar will provide a consolidated reference for the day’s scheduled prints.
This preview lists scheduled releases and prior readings. Forecasts and previous values are included as indicated on the day’s calendar.