UK labour-market data showed continued weakness ahead of the Bank of England's interest-rate decision. Payrolled employment fell by 26,000, or 0.1%, to 30.2 million in August 2026, following a revised 19,000 decline in July and exceeding economists' expectation for a 5,000 reduction. Vacancies fell to 702,000 in the three months to August, their lowest level since the three months to April 2021. Unemployment held at 4.9% in the three months to July, while regular pay excluding bonuses rose 3.5% year-on-year to £705 a week. Employment nevertheless increased by 67,000 to 34.478 million in the three months to July, although the earlier release reported a 66,000 increase for the same period. The data weighed on UK markets, with the FTSE 100 down more than 0.5% as oil prices rose and banks and miners declined. The figures leave the Bank of England balancing labour-market weakness against persistent wage and inflation pressures, including the possible effect of higher energy prices linked to the Iran war.