GoKawiilLabor's share of US income hits record low of 52.8% in Q2 2026
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that workers' share of national income fell to 52.8% in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest level since records began in 1947, down from 53.6% the prior quarter. The decline comes even as Fortune 500 profits hit a record $2.1 trillion in 2025 and GDP grew 3.4%, while job growth slowed sharply and unemployment rose to 4.2% in September.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Economist Raymond Robertson suggests the drop reflects a shift of income toward capital rather than labor, driven by both stagnant wages and fewer people working. This pattern could point toward a 'jobless growth' scenario in which corporate profits and GDP expand while employment and wages lag, potentially widening the gap described as a K-shaped economy where gains concentrate among the wealthy.
- Labor share of income hit 52.8% in Q2 2026, its lowest since 1947.
- Fortune 500 profits reached a record $2.1 trillion in 2025 even as job growth slowed to just 584,000 for the year.
- Economists warn the trend may signal jobless growth and a widening K-shaped economy.
Source: fortune.com — Sasha Rogelberg, 2026-11-01
Published there as: “U.S. workers took home their smallest share of capital since at least 1947”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.