Across the Fed's 12 districts, employment was essentially unchanged in 11
districts and slightly higher in one. Several districts reported the strongest
hiring in manufacturing, driven by defense-related work and rising data-center
demand. Wage growth remained modest-to-moderate and broadly in line with
inflation, though districts said they are making more frequent wage and
cost-of-living adjustments to offset rising fuel and other household costs. Most
districts described cautious hiring and cautious layoffs; workers are
increasingly reluctant to change jobs amid economic uncertainty, so hiring is
concentrated on critical roles and replacing turnover. Demand in professional
services was mixed, reflecting technology and operational shifts.
