Business-to-Business (B2B) Market Trends in Q3 2026
The B2B vertical experienced a positive turn in the third quarter of 2026, with notable trends in job postings and wage growth.
Job Postings
- Overall US Job Postings: Indeed's data shows that overall job postings remain near pre-pandemic levels. There was a positive year-over-year trend for the first time in four years, with a 3.1% increase as of October 23.
- Growth Varied by Sector: Certain sectors within B2B are experiencing stronger growth. Production & manufacturing and banking & finance postings have seen a significant surge, growing four times faster than overall postings.
- Outperforming Categories: Construction and insurance postings are outpacing the overall market, while education & instruction and accounting have decreased compared to the previous year.
Wage Growth
- Accounting Leads the Way: Accounting has the highest wage growth in B2B at 3.7% year over year. Banking & finance, construction, and production & manufacturing also show robust growth around 3.1%.
- Stagnant Insurance Wages: Insurance wage growth has stagnated at 0%, declining by 0.7 points in six months.
- Weak Education & Instruction Growth: Education & instruction wage growth is relatively low at 1.5%, dropping by half a percentage point in the past six months.
Hiring Rates
- Manufacturing Pick-up: The increase in manufacturing job postings is reflected in hiring rates, which have been steadily rising throughout 2026. The rate reached 2.5% in September, close to its 2019 average.
- Financial Activities Hiring Down: The financial activities hiring rate dipped to 1.7% in September, the lowest since January, and below its 2019 average of 2.5%.