Hiring has bounced back this year from a miserable 2025, showing unexpected strength in the face of economic uncertainty and painfully high energy prices caused by the Iran war.

There was surprising strength in the latest U.S. jobs report. Employers added 172,000 jobs in May, the third straight month of job gains. Overall, the labor market appears strong despite concerns about the Iran war, rising prices and artificial intelligence. Amna Nawaz speaks with Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, a multinational accounting and advisory firm, for more analysis.