It is the most anticipated global event every month. Thousands of analysts from around the world sit poised at their computers. Board meetings come to a halt. Government officials look at their phones. At 8:29 a.m., the world collectively sighs. It is “Jobs Day,” and the Bureau of Labor Statistics is about to release the monthly jobs report.

At 8:30 a.m. on the first Friday of the month, the BLS releases the Employment Situation report, a treasure trove of data about the U.S. labor market, including metrics such as total payroll employment, the unemployment rate, wage growth, and labor force participation.