Where the labor market stands going into 2026

As the year draws to a close, it's clear that the post-COVID hiring bonanza has ended, and job-hunting has gotten trickier. Experts are predicting next year to be marked by more of the same: a low-hire, low-fire labor market. Plus, the Nasdaq asks the SEC for permission to allow close to 24/7 trading, and a federal appeals court is blocking the firing of most workers at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.