U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: August labor force participation rate edged up to 61.6%, but remains 0.5 percentage points below January this year.

White House National Economic Council director Hassett said US nonfarm payrolls were "very strong".

Counterpoint Research says since the start of 2026 rising global memory prices have pushed retail prices higher for more than 40% of smartphone models — the first time at this scale in the industry. Newly released models are about 25% pricier than comparable launches a year earlier. Global average retail smartphone price is up roughly 15% in 2026, with some models seeing near-100% increases. Manufacturers are passing higher storage and other component costs to consumers. Price-sensitive markets saw the largest increases: India +21%, APAC +19%, Middle East & Africa +18%. Markets with a larger high-end mix or carrier-led distribution experienced smaller rises: China +10%, Europe +7%, US +5%. Price moves are concentrated in newly launched models.