Jobseekers speak with recruiters during the WNC Career Expo job fair in Fletcher, North Carolina, US, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Allison Joyce | Bloomberg | Getty Images Not that long ago, U.S. payroll growth of less than 100,000 or so a month meant the labor market was sinking and signaling a potential recession. No more, though, as that kind of number is pretty much all that is needed to keep unemployment steady and the Federal Reserve at bay. When the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its job count for April on Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. ET, it's expected to show a gain of just 55,000 — anemic compared to what the economy has seen in recent years, but enough to keep the jobless rate at a relatively low 4.3%. The picture in total is one of a labor market that, while undoubtedly cooling, is generally stable and resilient despite a number of challenges.…