All articles tagged with #may 2026
In May 2026 the U.S. trade deficit widened to $77.6 billion as imports rose and exports fell: exports were $317.7 billion (down from April) and imports $395.3 billion (up from April), with the goods deficit increasing to $106.5 billion and the services surplus rising to $28.9 billion. The release includes revisions and notes from the Census Bureau and BEA and highlights year-to-date changes against 2025.
U.S. job openings in May rose to 7.6 million, matching April and beating economists’ 7.3 million forecast; gains were led by wholesale trade and accommodations/food services, while healthcare and finance declined. The quits rate held at 1.9%, hires at 3.3%, and layoffs edged up slightly, with rates hovering around 1%–1.2% since mid-2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ JOLTS report.
U.S. job openings rose to about 7.6 million in May, a two-year high that beat economists’ expectations for a decline, signaling the labor market remains poised for expansion even as hiring cooled for the third straight month and uncertainty from the Iran war persists.
Nintendo Switch 2 was the top-selling console worldwide in May 2026 with 1,236,414 units sold, pushing its lifetime total to about 20.76 million. PlayStation 5 followed with ~389,529 units (lifetime ~92.34M), while Switch 1 and Xbox Series X|S moved ~165,323 and ~118,761 units respectively (lifetime ~154.81M and ~34.79M). Year-to-date, Switch 2 leads at ~5.17M, with PS5 ~2.91M, Switch 1 ~1.01M, and Xbox Series X|S ~0.61M; the article includes regional weekly breakdowns and VGChartz’s sell-through methodology.
China’s industrial profits rose 21.1% year-on-year in May, easing from 24.7% in April, with January–May profits up 18.8%. Upstream sectors and electronics led gains, while automakers and furniture posted declines, signaling a split between price-driven strength and weak domestic demand amid a protracted property downturn. Analysts expect targeted policy support and easier credit to stabilize profitability as global tensions and Iran-related uncertainties affect exports and input costs.
US May 2026 personal income grew 0.7% (+$181.6B), with disposable income and PCE also up 0.7%; personal saving reached $704.2B (3.0%). The gain was led by farm proprietors’ income and compensation (aided by relief payments), while real PCE rose 0.3% as the PCE price index climbed 0.4% for the month. BEA notes upcoming 2026 annual updates to national, industry, state, and county accounts beginning Sept. 30, 2026.
U.S. new single-family home sales fell 7.3% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 580,000, the second straight monthly decline and the lowest since January, as higher mortgage rates and prices restrain demand; inventory rose to 496,000 (the highest since July 2025), enough to take about 10.3 months to clear at the May pace. The drop occurred even as prices were largely flat on median terms and overall affordability remains a major hurdle, with economists warning the housing recovery may remain tepid into 2027. Regional results showed weakness in the West (seven-month low), declines in the South, and gains in the Northeast and Midwest, underscoring a uneven national picture amid higher borrowing costs and inflation pressures.
May 2026 was the world’s second-warmest May on record, with global sea-surface temperatures near record highs; the January–May stretch was the fourth-warmest on record, and heat fueled widespread wildfires (the January–May burned area reached a 15-year high). Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extents were among the lowest on record, while an El Niño watch suggests warming could intensify later in 2026.
Economists expect the May Consumer Price Index to rise about 4.2% year over year—the fastest since April 2023—with core inflation near 2.9%. Higher energy and fuel costs are the main drivers, though some energy prices have since eased. Inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target and is shaping household budgets, with a CBS poll noting about three-quarters of Americans feel incomes aren’t keeping up.
A Challenger, Gray & Christmas report shows May 2026 saw about 97,000 announced layoffs—the highest for May since 2020—with AI named as the main reason for roughly 40% of cuts so far this year (87,714 over five months). Analysts caution that some companies may scapegoat AI while the broader labor market shows payroll gains (172,000 in May) but weak overall hiring, and note disruption across industries as resources shift.
Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState says Ukraine captured more territory than Russia in May 2026, producing the first negative month for Russian territorial gains since 2023. DeepState notes its public map shows Russia advancing about 14 sq km, but delays in publicly acknowledging Ukrainian gains create a lag that skews month-to-month comparisons. Experts caution that measuring front-line changes is difficult in the evolving “gray zone” of drone warfare, while Kyiv continues efforts to disrupt Russian logistics and regain momentum.
May 31, 2026's Blue Moon—the second full moon in May—was the year's smallest full moon (a micromoon). Space.com highlights dramatic lunar photography from Paris, New York, Athens, San Francisco, and Sydney, and notes that the next full moon will be the Strawberry Moon on June 29.
ISM's May Manufacturing PMI rose to 54.0, its highest since May 2022, signaling five straight months of expansion for the manufacturing sector and the economy’s 19th consecutive month of growth; New Orders (56.8) and Production (54.3) increased while Employment (48.6) remained in contraction. Supplier Deliveries stayed slow (60.6); Inventories contracted (49.9) with Customers' Inventories still too low (42.7). Prices remained elevated (82.1) amid tariff/commodity dynamics; Imports grew (53.0) and New Export Orders returned to expansion (50.6).
The SSA’s May 2026 payment calendar shows most retirees, disabled and survivor beneficiaries get paid on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday (May 13, 20, or 27, based on birth date). SSI payments go out on May 1. Beneficiaries who receive both Social Security and SSI were paid two days early, and long-time Social Security recipients (pre-1997 claimants) were paid on May 1 instead of a weekend-impacted date. Average monthly benefits cited: Retirement $2,026.41; Disability $1,493.20; Survivor $1,625.56; SSI $738.22. Payments can be made via direct deposit or the Direct Express card.
Xbox Game Pass's May 2026 Wave 2 adds a jam-packed lineup of day-one releases and new arrivals, led by Forza Horizon 6's global launch and joined by Luna Abyss, Echo Generation 2, The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition, Crashout Crew, Kabuto Park, Pigeon Simulator, My Friend Peppa Pig, Remnant II, Winter Burrow, and Escape Simulator throughout May, with Final Fantasy 6 and Jurassic World Evolution 3 arriving in June and Metaphor ReFantazio exiting May 31.