American consumers' concerns about employment prospects are continuing to rise. The latest data shows that the proportion of Americans who believe jobs are "hard to find" has soared to 20.8%, reaching the highest level in the past four years. In stark contrast, only 26.7% of consumers believe employment opportunities are "ample," the lowest level in four years.

The labor disparity indicator has also plummeted to 5.9%, a new low since 2021. Based on the trend over the past three years, American consumers' pessimism about the labor market has been steadily worsening—this shift is not accidental.

Historical experience suggests that such consumer employment expectation indicators are often leading indicators of rising unemployment rates. If this pattern continues, we may see the unemployment rate further increase from the current 4.6% to around 6%. This pessimistic signal in the labor market could indicate challenges ahead for the economic outlook.